home > Psychology > Large prosphora with a piece taken out. How prosphora is prepared: photo report from the monastery prosphora


Large prosphora with a piece taken out. How prosphora is prepared: photo report from the monastery prosphora




Many people, attending church services, noticed that small breads called prosphora were handed out. They are considered a real shrine that must be honored and protected so that it does not deteriorate. There are known rules regarding the use of such church treats.

What is prosphora and why do they eat it?

A small round loaf of bread made from leavened wheat dough is called prosphora. There are several facts about this church treat:

  1. This word is translated from Greek as “offerings.”
  2. No additives are added to such baked goods, with the exception of yeast and salt.
  3. When figuring out what prosphora is in the Orthodox Church, it should be pointed out that this pastry consists of two parts, which symbolizes the union of human and divine essence in Jesus Christ.
  4. On the upper part there is a seal in the form of a cross with equal sides and in the corners there are the letters: IC XC NI KA. The inscription presented means “Jesus Christ conquers.” The seal itself personifies the invisible seal of the image of the Lord.
  5. If you are interested in what the prosphora symbolizes, then it is worth knowing that it represents the bread that Jesus divided among his disciples.

What types of prosphora are there?

There are five main types of sacred bread for the liturgy:

  1. Agnichnaya. This is a large prosphora with a cross, from which a lamb is cut out with a special knife - cube-shaped bread. During the liturgy, he becomes the true body of Christ. The part of the prosphora that is not used is called antidor, and it is distributed to believers after the service.
  2. Mother of God. This large prosphora bears the seal “Mary” or the image of the Mother of God. During proskomedia, a triangular-shaped part is taken out from the top and placed on a special dish along with the lamb.
  3. Nine-day. This view is dedicated to all the saints and nine particles are taken from her seal.
  4. Zazdravnaya. Two parts are taken from this bread for all participants in the liturgy.
  5. Funeral. For all the deceased believers, only one particle is taken from the upper part of the prosphora.

There are special types of prosphora, which include artos - bread blessed on Easter night. The priest asks the Lord for blessings and help in healing illnesses. Artos is located opposite the Royal Doors throughout Bright Week, and on Saturday it is divided into small pieces and distributed to believers. This prosphora symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus Christ and recalls his presence on earth.

Prosphora - recipe


Sacred bread can be prepared at home using an old recipe. It is important to know how prosphora is baked, as there are several features that should be taken into account.

Ingredients:

  • finely ground premium flour – 1.2 kg;
  • Holy water;
  • yeast – 25 g.

Preparation:

  1. Pour some holy water into the container, and then pour in about 400 g of flour. Add boiling water and stir until you get a mass like semolina porridge.
  2. When everything has cooled down, add a little salt and yeast. Stir and leave to rise. Then add the remaining flour and mix well.
  3. Leave for another 30 minutes, and then transfer the dough to the table and roll out the layer. The bottom layer needs a thickness of 18-20 mm, and the top layer 11-12 mm. Cover with oilcloth and leave for another 10 minutes.
  4. It is necessary to cut the layer into circles, taking into account that the lower part should be larger than the upper. Cover the lower halves with a towel and oilcloth and leave for half an hour. It is important not to let the dough dry out.
  5. If you are interested in how to bake prosphora at home, then it is important to know that the baking sheet must be greased with a thin layer of natural wax, which is a component of solar energy. Place a stamp of the appropriate size on the top.
  6. Lubricate the bottom and connect it to the top. Prick both halves with a needle to remove excess air, which will prevent voids from forming.
  7. The oven should be heated to 200-250 degrees. Bake until done, which is 15-20 minutes.
  8. The finished bread should be covered with several layers: a dry cloth, a wet one, then a dry one again and a blanket. Leave the prosphora in this state for an hour.

Prosphora - how to use?

There are several rules regarding how to properly eat sacred bread. This should be done in the morning on an empty stomach and to begin with, it is recommended to spread a clean napkin on the table and place bread and water on it. When figuring out how to eat prosphora at home, it is worth mentioning that before eating it, a prayer intended for this occasion must be said. They eat bread over a plate so that crumbs do not fall on the floor. It is important to note that prosphora should not be used in cemeteries and crumble on graves.

How to cut prosphora correctly?

In temples, a special knife designed for this purpose is used to cut the sacred bread. It is called a spear and is a flat knife shaped like the tip of a spear. It cannot be stored with other cutlery. Many people are interested in whether it is possible to cut prosphora with a knife, but most clergy argue that ordinary kitchen utensils should not be used.

Prayer for accepting prosphora and holy water

It is believed that when a believer reads a prayer before eating prosphora and drinking holy water, this leads to the sanctification of the body and spirit, the illumination of thoughts, and this will also protect him from evil spirits. Parts of the prosphora are taken out at the end of the liturgy and believers must fold their palms into a cross, with the right hand covering the left. After handing over the prosphora, you must kiss the hand of the clergyman. Having brought the sacred bread home, place it on a clean napkin and before eating it, be sure to read a prayer before accepting the prosphora and holy water.


When can you eat prosphora?

You can eat sacred bread every day, with the exception of a number of restrictions, which will be discussed below. If you are interested in how to eat prosphora correctly, then it is worth knowing that sacred bread is usually consumed on an empty stomach with a sense of humility. The clergy say that it is beneficial for all believers to start their day with prosphora, which should be washed down with holy water.

Is it possible to eat prosphora without an empty stomach?

The rule regarding the use of sacred bread and water on an empty stomach arose for a reason, since they are designed to instill reverence in a person and separate eating from eating. Although the holy gifts are received through the mouth, and the digestive system is involved in digestion, believers must understand that the church prosphora bread is not food and its absorption is a sacred act.

Is it possible to eat prosphora during menstruation?

There is an opinion that during menstrual periods a woman should avoid everything that has to do with the church, including she should refuse to eat sacred bread. This is explained by the fact that the woman is “unclean” and the holy prosphora will be desecrated. This topic is controversial, and different clergy have their own opinions on this matter. Saint Athanasius, back in 365, said that a woman during the days of natural renewal of the body cannot be “unclean,” therefore everything is provided for by God. In general, it is impossible to say for sure whether eating prosphora will be considered a sin.

Is it possible to eat prosphora on Good Friday?

It is considered the strictest day of fasting before Easter and, according to church canons, on this day it is necessary to refrain from consuming any food or drinks. The exception is prosphora and holy water. It is quite possible to last a day on bread and water, but do not forget that these foods should not be eaten to be full, but to receive blessings. As for when to eat prosphora on Good Friday, it is better to do it in the morning, and then, if possible, refrain from taking it.


What to do with dried prosphora?

Many people do not know how to properly treat sacred bread brought from church or made with their own hands. Like any other baked product, prosphora becomes dry after some time and many people don’t know what to do with it. It's simple: you need to soak the bread in holy water and eat it. It is important to know what to do with the prosphora brought from the church, so it must be stored in a holy corner next to the icons and holy water. For long-term storage, it is recommended to place the bread in a paper bag.

The prosphora has become moldy - what to do?

If the sacred bread has spoiled, then this is considered the result of a careless attitude towards the shrine and the clergy recommend confessing for this sin. For those who are interested in what to do with moldy prosphora, you should know that it must be dealt with in the same way as with other shrines that need to be destroyed. There are several options:

  1. Bury in an untrampled place, that is, where people will not walk.
  2. Let it float along the river, but it is important that it does not stick to the shore, so either chop it up or tie it to a stone.
  3. You can take the damaged prosphora to the church, where it will be burned.
  4. The clergy allow you to crush the bread and give it to the birds, but it is forbidden to throw crumbs on the ground, so put them on a board. It is prohibited to give prosphora to animals.

“Today we will talk about prosphora, since few of us have the correct concept of it. Most of us only know that prosphora is sacred bread and is made from white flour.

Prosphora is certainly baked from the best wheat flour, because for holy bread there must be the best flour. The dough for prosphora is always sour and not unleavened, as indicated by the example of the Savior Jesus Christ Himself when He instituted the Sacrament of Communion. The prosphora is usually two-part, i.e. consisting of two thick circles placed one on top of the other, connected only by their middle and forming a constriction (notch) connected to each other. The two-part nature of the prosphora means that the Divinity and humanity in Jesus Christ are inseparable and not merged with each other, just as the mugs in the prosphora are not finally united with one another and are not separated from each other. On the top of the prosphora there is a seal depicting a cross, and near it the words IC. HR. HI. KA., which means: “Jesus Christ conquers.” This cross and the words around it mean that the prosphora is made in the name of Jesus Christ, Who is the Conqueror of the devil.

The prosphora is round as a sign of the beginninglessness and infinity of Jesus Christ, just as the shape of a circle has no beginning or end.

How and for what reason are prosphora blessed at mass? To celebrate the liturgy (mass) five prosphoras are used. The quadrangular middle is cut out of the first prosphora, and this removed part is called “Lamb.” Consecrated with a priestly blessing, this Lamb, by the power of the Holy Spirit, becomes the Body of Christ, which, together with the Holy Blood, under the guise of wine, we, Christians, partake of.

From the second prosphora, a small particle is taken out from above in honor and memory of the Most Holy Theotokos; This prosphora is called the Mother of God.

From the third prosphora nine particles are taken out in honor and memory of the saints of God, divided into nine ranks or faces; therefore this prosphora is called nine-rites.

Two particles are taken out of the fourth prosphora: when taking out the first, the priest prays for the health and salvation of his Bishop, the entire priestly and deacon rank and all church servants; when removing the second particle, he prays for the health and salvation of the powers that be, as well as all Orthodox Christians.

Taking particles out of the fifth prosphora, the priest prays for the memory and forgiveness of the sins of all Orthodox Christians who died in the hope of resurrection and eternal life.

In addition to these five prosphoras, sometimes several other prosphoras are used at mass, from which particles are also taken out for the living and the dead. This happens when someone asks the priest to especially remember the health and salvation of the living and the repose of the dead. When cutting out particles from such prosphoras, the priest remembers by name (names) those persons for whom they are asked to pray especially. All particles taken from the prosphora are placed near the Lamb on the paten (a sacred gold, silver or glass dish; at the same time symbolizing the manger where Christ was born and the tomb in which His body was laid after being taken down from the cross). At the end of the mass they are united in a chalice with the Holy Gifts - the Body and Blood of Christ. Through such a union, the saints, in whose honor and memory the particles were taken out, receive the closest union with God, and through this greater glory and joy, and the living and the dead, for whom the particles dropped into the chalice were taken out, receive the attenuation of sins and eternal life. But the particles taken out for the saints, as well as for the living and the dead, do not have the sanctifying and cleansing effect that is exclusively attributed to the sacrifice of Christ. These particles are not transformed into the Body of Christ, and therefore should not be given to believers for communion. In this case, why are they removed? But why. According to Blessed Augustine, these “offerings of particles for the very good are thanksgiving to God, for the very evil they serve as a cleanser of sins, for the very evil, although they do not benefit the dead, because of their persistence in evil, they nevertheless serve as a consolation for the living; for those to whom they are useful, they serve either to completely cleanse sins, or to make the condemnation itself easier.”

Through all the listed sacred actions, they receive sanctifying grace and the very prosphora, from which particles are taken out, which is why they become sacred bread. You should eat the prosphora on an empty stomach and in such a way that not even the slightest crumb of the prosphora falls on the floor or is trampled underfoot.”

(from the book “To help shepherds and for the edification of the flock”)

On November 13, the Church honors the day of remembrance of the holy prosphora bearers of Pechersk - the Venerables Spyridon and Nicodemus. In this regard, let's talk about prosphora.

This word means “offering” in translation from Greek. In the proper logical sense of the ancient Church, this is every liturgical offering: bread, wine, water, oil, candles. The deacons wrote down the names of the donors of the prosphora-offering in a special commemoration book and commemorated them at the Liturgy. Later, the word “prosphora” began to refer specifically to the bread intended for the Eucharist.

Why bread? Because the Lord Himself called Himself Bread. “I am the Bread of Life” (John 6:48). And during the Last Supper, it was the Lord who broke the bread, saying: “This is my body, which is given for you: do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19).

Prosphora is a round small bread consisting of two parts (a symbol of the dual nature of Christ - Divine and human). The bread must be yeast or leavened - “live”. Let us remember the Gospel parable about leaven (Matthew 13:33). Prosphora is always baked from pure wheat flour. It also consists of water (possibly Epiphany water) and salt. There is a seal at the top of the prosphora. Most often it is a cross and the letters “Is.”, “Xs.” – Jesus Christ and the Greek “Nike” - “victory”. Images of the Blessed Virgin Mary and saints are also possible on seals.

From the prosphora with the seal of Christ, a Lamb is cut out, which at the Liturgy will become the Body of Christ, from the rest pieces are taken out with the commemoration of the names of living and deceased Orthodox Christians. At the end of the Liturgy, the prosphora is taken out of the altar and distributed to the faithful. This is often done in a candle shop.

The prosphora should be treated as a shrine. This is not ordinary bread. He participated in the divine service (the Holy of Holies of the Orthodox Church) - the Liturgy.

At home it should be kept in a special place, you can near icons, consumed with holy water only on an empty stomach with a special prayer: “Lord my God, may Your holy gift be: prosphora and Your holy water for the remission of my sins, for the enlightenment of my mind, for strengthening my spiritual and bodily strength, for the health of my soul and body, for the subjugation of my passions and infirmities according to Your infinite mercy through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother and all Your saints. Amen". You should be careful about the crumbs, try not to litter or scatter them. Moldy prosphora is traditionally disposed of: thrown into the river - into running water.

From my own experience, I will say that it is most convenient to store prosphora in the following way. While it is fresh, cut it into small pieces, put them in a linen bag to dry (you can also put it in a plastic bag, just do not close it so that there is air access). When the particles dry out, they can be stored for at least several years. Small pieces are more convenient to eat. In addition, whole prosphora will mold much faster because moisture is retained inside it, which can become a breeding ground for mold spores.

The meaning of the prosphora is similar to the meaning of the antidor. It is also pieces of the prosphora from which the Lamb was carved. The word "antidor" translated from Greek means "instead of communion." That is, we cannot receive communion every day, but we have the opportunity to eat prosphora and drink holy water reverently as a kind of symbol of communion. Not a substitute. These are not equivalent things. The Body and Blood of Christ are immeasurably higher. But as a symbol of the Liturgy, a symbol of the Holy Eucharist, the embodied memory of which is the prosphora, and, of course, with proper faith, reverence and fear of God, the prosphora revives and supports our spiritual and bodily strength.

Every person in our time is very familiar with this phrase: “our daily bread.” However, to the great disappointment of most people, it is not known that this phrase is taken from the prayer book “Our Father”, it shows a respectful appeal to the bread, bread in this prayer does not mean ordinary food, but a sign that symbolizes everything that a person needs for the harmony of development souls and bodies. Our article will talk about one of the types of bread products, which is the epitome of church mallow.

History of origin

Church mallow or, among the people, it has another name - prosphora , baked in the form of a small round loaf of bread, it is used in church ceremonies and during donations and funerals. Prosvira in translation means “offering”. At the beginning of the first century, during the times of early Orthodoxy, people took bread and everything that was needed for services from home and brought it to the temple. The priest took all these products and entered their names into a special list, which was read out immediately after the prayer during the consecration of the gifts. Some gifts included bread and wine, which were used during the rite of Communion, and the remaining gifts were eaten by the monks at dinner or distributed to parishioners. Partially this tradition has reached our time. After the service at the church door, the priests give particles of the prosvira to the believers. After some time, the word “prosphora” began to be used to refer only to the bread that was used in the conduct of divine services. Such bread is baked only for this occasion.

The symbolism of the prosphora

Church prosvira is a loaf of bread , and this bread, at the command of the Almighty, changes its essence or, as the Orthodox believe, is transformed into the Body of Jesus. This is done when the Lord's Divine Service is held, at the hour when the minister places the loaves of bread taken from the gift offering into the Chalice, where the Body and Blood of the Lord is located, reading a certain prayer during such a ritual. Mallow is not baked in the shape of a circle for nothing; it is made precisely so that it serves as a symbol of God’s eternity. There are other, similar interpretations in Christianity. Most believers believe that the round shape is a symbol of the immortal soul of both a specific person and all humanity in the Lord. The Church Prosphora has two parts: Upper and lower. This division also has a certain essence. Such parts united into one whole mean the unique essence of people, which is depicted in the combination of two parts: the Lord's and the human. The top of the mallow bears the divine principle of people. The lower part of the prosphora represents the bodily, worldly principle. A seal is applied to the top of the prosvira, which is depicted in the form of a cross and text. The inscription is translated from Greek as the victory of Jesus Christ.

Church mallow recipe

To bake church bread, you need to take one and a half kilograms of your type of flour. To knead the dough, you need to pour a third of the flour into a deep bowl and pour in the agisma. After stirring just a little, boiling water is poured into the dough. This action gives the strength and sweetness of the mallow. After a little time, when the dough has cooled, add a little salt diluted in holy water and add twenty-five grams of yeast. Then this whole mixture is mixed and left for about half an hour. When the dough has risen, add the rest of the flour to it and mix again. Then set aside again for thirty minutes so that the dough can rise again. After half an hour, when the dough is ready and risen, it must be rolled out, diligently sprinkled with flour. Using molds, roll out circles: the upper part is smaller, the lower part is larger. Then such mugs are covered with a dampened cloth, covered with a dry cloth on top, and again set aside for thirty minutes. Then a seal is placed on the top, and the upper part is attached to the lower part, while the parts are moistened with warm agisma. The prepared mallow must be pierced on the sides with a needle, and then it is placed on a baking sheet and placed in the oven, where it is baked for about fifteen to twenty minutes. The baked prosphora is placed on the table and covered, first a dry cloth is laid, then a damp cloth and then a dry cloth again, and they are left to rest for an hour. Then they are put into special boxes. And the recipe for making prosphora also contains a certain essence. Flour and water represent the human body, while yeast and agisma symbolize the human soul. All these ingredients are inextricably linked, but in turn, a separate element symbolizes something of its own. Agisma means the Lord's mercy sent to people. Yeast carries within itself the sign of the Holy Spirit, who, with his divine ability, bestows life.

How and when can you use prosphora?

Any believer who goes to church knows exactly when it is fashionable to consume church prosphora. It is necessary to eat prosvirki after the first service; if at this time a person undergoes the rite of communion, then the prosvirki are eaten a day or two earlier, immediately after the Eucharist. Eating the church prosphora must be done with a certain tact - submissively and reverently. You should eat mallow on an empty stomach. It is beneficial for any Orthodox person to start their day with the use of agisma and mallow. To eat these dishes, you need to lay out a washed tablecloth or napkin. Place the sacred breakfast on the tablecloth, which consists of mallow and agisma. However, before eating such a meal, it is necessary to read a prayer, which is read only in such cases. The sacred bread is eaten over a saucer or piece of paper. They do this so that the bread crumbs do not fall on the ground and become unclean.

Bread in Christianity symbolizes Jesus himself. This is what Christ said about bread: “I am your daily bread” (John 6:48). This means that worldly bread fills people with vitality, but the Lord, holy bread, nourishes people’s lives with the fullness of Heavenly life in eternity.

Besides, bread - symbolizes the Church itself . This definition is contained in the ancient Eucharistic prayer: “And just as they scattered this bread over the mountains and then gathered it together, so they will gather Your Temple into a single whole from the ends of the earth into Your Heavenly Kingdom” (Didache, ch. 9).

Prosvira has its origins in the early centuries of Orthodoxy; in those days, parishioners took bread, wine, oil, wax with them to church for making candles, that is, everything that was necessary for holding a service. Prosphora means gifts (in Greek it sounds like mallow), or a gift offering; these products were given to the priests; The names of the people who brought gifts were written on a special list, which was read along with the prayer book when the Gifts were consecrated. From these donations (mallow), most of the bread and wine were separated to transform them into the Body and Blood of Jesus, candles were made from the brought wax, and other products, which were also blessed, were given to the parishioners. However, this tradition has survived to this day in a shortened form; mallow has come to mean only a loaf of bread, eaten after the service. Today, in churches they bake not ordinary bread, but mallow bread in special round forms, and not only food, but also money have become gifts.

The church mallow is placed behind a box of candles and distributed to believers after the service. who, before the start of the service, submitted notes “On health” or “On remembrance.” The names written in such letters are read out at the altar, and for each name pronounced, a portion is taken out of the malt, which is why such a malt is called “withdrawn.”

After the service, all parishioners are given an antidor – small particles of mallow, from which the Heavenly Lamb was removed from offerings. In the Greek language, antidor originates from the words anti - in return and di oron - offering, then this word is literally translated - in return for offering.


“Antidor,” according to the words of Simeon of Thessalonica, “is a holy loaf, which was taken from the gifts during the transformation and from which the middle was taken out for eating during the service; the sacred bread, as recreated by a spear and absorbing the Holy words, is given in exchange for the Terrible Offerings, that is, Secrets, to those believers who have not received communion.”

The word artos (translated as leavened bread) means the universal sacred bread intended for all the clergy of the Temple, or it is called differently - target mallow.

In memory of the fact that the Almighty appeared before the disciples many times before His Resurrection and shared meals with them, the disciples, even after Jesus ascended into heaven, always left a free place in the middle at dinner and placed a piece of bread in front of it, that is, it seemed that The Almighty is among them. Now such a loaf of bread is the artos eaten in the Temple. During Easter week, the artos is in the church on a table in front of the altar, and when services are not held, it lies near the open Royal Doors, as a reminder of the visits of the revived Jesus to the disciples and of the existence of the Lord with people. All this comes down to the meaning of Easter, which represents the union of death and the Resurrection of Jesus; it is marked with the sign of the Lord’s victory over death, or a cross framed by thorns, or the face of the Resurrection of the Lord.

Artos is illuminated with prayer, moistening with agisma and walking on the day of the Holy Resurrection of the Lord at the service after the final prayer. The artos is placed on the cloth opposite the royal gate on the designated table. After walking around the table with the artos, the worshiper says a special prayer, after which he wets the artos three times with agisma water with the following words: “We bless and sanctify this artos by wetting this holy water in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen".

Throughout the entire Easter week, after the end of the service, a solemn procession of the cross is held around the church with an artos. In the monastery, the artos is placed every day at mass and placed on a special table or on a cloth, as a reminder to the monks that among them, as once among the disciples, Jesus Christ, the heavenly Bread of Life, lives invisibly. Troparions are read over the artos, which mention the Resurrection of Jesus and His presence among us.

On Saturday of Easter week after the service, the minister reads a special prayer, upon reading which the artos is divided, and during the kissing of the cross it is given to the parishioners as a relic.

Parts of artos, which were distributed in the church, are carefully preserved by believers as spiritual healing from suffering and illness. Artos is traditionally used when special situations occur, for example, during an illness, and always with the words “Jesus is Risen!”

Artos is lower in sacredness than antidor, but higher than prosvirka . That is, in the case when a person wants to taste artos, antidor and prosvira, then first they eat antidor, then artos, and finally prosvira.

PROSFORA

Prosphora is specially baked bread used to celebrate the sacrament of the Eucharist.


Prosphora is translated from Greek as “offering.” In the ancient Church, bread for the Liturgy was brought as a gift to God by those who came to church on Sunday to participate in the Liturgy, that is, all Christians of the community.

Prosphora depicts the bread of the Last Supper , which Christ divided among his disciples: And he took the bread and gave thanks, broke it and gave it to them, saying: This is my body, which is given for you; Do this in remembrance of Me (Luke 22:19). This is how the sacrament of the Eucharist was established, where Christians, under the guise of bread and wine, partake of the Body and Blood of the Savior and become one with Him. Participation in this sacrament is a necessary condition for every Christian to remain in the Church.

Proskomedia - the first part of the Liturgy, during which the substance for the Eucharist is prepared from bread (in the form of prosphora) and wine.

To celebrate the Liturgy, 5 large prosphoras are used.

Patriarch Nikon introduced this custom in the Russian Church in memory of the Gospel miracle of the multiplication of loaves, when five thousand people were fed with five loaves (Matthew 14:15-21).


Five prosphoras for the Liturgy:

1. Lamb prosphora

Large prosphora with a cross and the seal IC XC NIKA. From it, with a special knife - a copy - a Lamb is cut out - cube-shaped bread.

During the celebration of the Liturgy, the Lamb becomes the true Body of Christ.

The unused part of the lamb prosphora is called antidor. According to custom, it is distributed to the faithful after the end of the Liturgy.

2. Mother of God prosphora

Large prosphora with the seal of MARY or the image of the Virgin Mary. At the proskomedia, a triangular-shaped particle is taken out of its upper part and placed on a special dish - paten - next to the lamb.

3. Nine-day prosphora

Dedicated to the saints. 9 particles are removed from her seal in memory of: John the Baptist; prophets; apostles; saints; Archdeacon Stephen and the martyrs; reverends; unmercenary; Joachim and Anna, Methodius and Cyril, Prince Vladimir and all saints; as well as the holy author of the liturgy that will be served: John Chrysostom or Basil the Great.

4. Healthy prosphora

is intended to remove two particles from its seal for everyone who will participate in the Liturgy, the clergy celebrating the Liturgy, the country and the people.

5. Funeral prosphora

From its upper part one particle is taken for all deceased Orthodox Christians.


The particles taken out (i.e., cut out) from the prosphora at the proskomedia depict the entire fullness of the Church. The priest places the particles on a special dish - paten. In the center is the Lamb - Christ, to the right and left of him are particles of the Mother of God and all the saints, at the edges are particles taken out for all living and dead Orthodox Christians.

Particles from small prosphoras , those that are distributed to the faithful after the Liturgy are also taken out by the priest during the proskomedia. At this time, he prays for the health and repose of those people, notes about whom were submitted before the start of the Liturgy. While reading the name, a particle symbolizing a specific person is taken out of the prosphora and placed on the paten. At the end of the Liturgy, the priest, with the words “washed, Lord, the sins of those who are remembered here with Your honest Blood,” pours all these particles into the Chalice with the Blood of Christ.


Artos, literally - “leavened bread”. This is the name of the large prosphora that is placed in front of the altar on Easter Bright Week. The artos is consecrated on Easter, and divided and distributed to believers on Saturday of Bright Week. Artos is kept at home until next Easter and consumed on an empty stomach during illness.


Easter cake - rich sweet bread with raisins - a folk reinterpretation of artos. Easter cakes are blessed in the church after the liturgy of Holy Saturday.

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