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 Prosphora - leavened bread stamped with a special seal | |
| Type | Bread |
|---|---|
| Main ingredients | Wheat flour (white),yeast,salt,water |
Aprosphora (Greek:προσφορά,offering, or in Demotic Greek πρόσφορον) is a small loaf of leavenedbread used inOrthodox Christian,[1]Eastern Lutheran andGreek Catholic (Byzantine)liturgies. The classical plural form isprosphorai (προσφοραί). The term originally meant anyoffering made to atemple, but in Orthodox Christianity, as well asByzantine Rite Lutheranism and Catholicism, it has come to mean specifically the bread offered at theEucharist duringDivine Liturgy.
A prosphoron is made from only four ingredients,wheat flour (white),yeast,salt, andwater.[1] Salt was not used in early times[when?] and is still not used in theGreek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem.
Any member of the church who is in good standing, has sufficient baking knowledge, and whose conscience is clean may bake prosphora. Often in aparish church the women will take turns baking the prosphora; inmonasteries, the task is often assigned by theHegumen (abbot or abbess) to one or several monastics of virtuous life.
It is common but not necessary to go to confession before baking prosphora, and the baking often takes place in the morning whilefasting. Sometimes, special kitchen implements are used for making the prosphora which are used for no other purpose. There may be special prayers said before commencing, and the baker tries to maintain a religious state of mind throughout, often saying theJesus Prayer. Usually enough prosphora for a number of services are baked at the same time.
A prosphoron is made up of two separate round pieces of leavened dough which are placed one on top of another and baked together to form a single loaf. This double-loaf represents thetwo natures of Christ: human and divine. Before baking, each prosphoron is stamped with a special seal calledsphragis orPanagiari, usually bearing, among other things, the image of across with the Greek lettersIC XC NIKA ("Jesus Christ conquers") around the arms of the cross. This impression is baked into the bread and serves as a guide for the priest who will be cutting it.[2]
In the Slavic practice (Ukrainian Orthodox,Russian Orthodox,Bulgarian Orthodox,Serbian Orthodox, etc.) five smaller prosphora are used, in commemoration of the five loavesJesus used tofeed the multitudes. The Greek practice involves one larger prosphoron, in commemoration of the unity of all who share the one "Bread"1 Cor 10:16–17.
Russian Orthodox monasteries or churches may assign the task of baking theprosphora (Russian:просфора,romanized: prosfora, alsoprosfira (просвира) toprosforniki (Russian:просфорники) - singular form:prosfornik (Russian:просфорник) or to femaleprosfirni (просвирни - singular formRussian:просвирня,romanized: prosfirnya).
In the part of theDivine Liturgy (Eucharist) known as theLiturgy of Preparation (Proskomedia), a cube is cut from the center of the prosphoron, and is referred to as theLamb (Ancient Greek:Ἀμνός,romanized: Amnos). It is this Lamb which isconsecrated into theBody, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ and from it both the clergy and the faithful will receive theMost Holy Eucharist, while the rest of the prosphora which was not consecrated into theBody, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ is cut up for theantidoron, the blessed bread which is distributed at the end of the Liturgy.
The motto "the loaf of Nature's kitchen table," a common metaphor for returning thanks andagape (unconditional love) back to nature, is derived from prosphora.
Prosphora can vary in size and imprinted design in different liturgical traditions. Generally, the Slavic traditions use five small prosphora with a simpler stamp, while the Greek-Byzantine tradition uses one large prosphoron with a more complex stamp, indicating the place from which the Lamb is to be taken and the places from which particles are removed for each of the remaining commemorations.
In addition to the Lamb, particles are removed from the prosphoron to commemorate the following:[2]
The Slavic tradition uses a separate prosphoron for each of these, sometimes with a different seal for each prosphoron—or at least a distinctive one for thePanagia. The laity may also present smaller prosphora together with a list of the faithful living and departed whom they wish to have commemorated during the Liturgy. From each of these smaller prosphora the priest will remove a triangular piece as well as several smaller particles while he prays for each of the persons listed.
The Prosphoron from which a particle is removed in honor of theTheotokos (Virgin Mary) is calledPanagia (ἄρτος τῆς Παναγίας) and is solemnly blessed in her honour during the Divine Liturgy. This prosphoron is often stamped with anicon of the Theotokos. Before cutting this prosphoron, the priest makes theSign of the Cross over it three times with theliturgical spear, saying:
In honour and commemoration of our most blessed Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-virgin Mary; through whose intercessions accept, O Lord, this sacrifice upon Thy most heavenly Altar.
He then removes a large, triangular particle and places it to the side of the Lamb, as he says:
"At Thy right hand stood the queen, arrayed in vesture wrought of gold and diverse colours."
The remainder of the prosphoron is blessed over theholy table, before the blessing of theantidoron, with the phrase
"Great is the name of theHoly Trinity."
Today, this practice is usually performed only in somemonasteries.After the Liturgy, a triangular portion is cut from the prosphoron by the refectorian (monk in charge of therefectory). ThePanagia is then cut in half and laid crust downwards on a dish in a small table in the refectory. After the meal, the refectorian takes off hisepanokamelavkion andkamilavkion, saying,
"Bless me, holy Fathers, and pardon me a sinner,"
to which the brotherhood replies,
"May God pardon and have mercy on you."
Then, taking thePanagia in his fingertips, he lifts it up while saying,
"Great is the Name,"
and then the community continues with
"of the Holy Trinity."
Therite then continues with
"All-holy Mother of God, help us"
with the reply
"At her prayers, O God, have mercy and save us."
Twohymns are then sung while the refectorian, accompanied by acleric with a handcenser, offers thePanagia to those assembled. Each takes a piece between his finger and thumb, passes it through the incense, and then eats it.
There are also loaves which are baked for blessing and distribution to the faithful outside of the Divine Liturgy. These are generally calledartos ("loaves") and are usually made from a single round of dough rather than two. They may be stamped with the same seal used at the Liturgy, though usually they have only a simple cross or anicon such as thepatron saint of the local church or monastery. Five loaves are usually made, and they are blessed at a service called the Artoklasia ("breaking of bread"). These loaves, together with wheat, wine, and oil, are blessed and distributed to the faithful during theAll-Night Vigil.
