5.1. What is holy water? This is water, ordinary in composition and original origin (well, spring, lake, river, tap), miraculously acquiring sanctifying (grace-filled) and healing properties after a special prayer service called water consecration. 5.2. Why does the Church sanctify water and bread? It is difficult to find something that would be so necessary for people in their earthly life and constitute such an essential need as bread and water. Bread is the simplest and natural human food that supports and strengthens his strength. A person uses water to quench his thirst and prepare food, wash his body and the things he uses with it. These two substances, essential for a person in his bodily life, turn out to be integral elements for him in spiritual life. Bread, consisting of many grains, personifies the Church - One with a plurality of its members. Bread serves the greatest Sacrament - Holy Communion.
By blessing the water, the Church returns to the water element its primitive purity and holiness, and by the power of prayer and the Word of God brings the blessing of the Lord down to the water. Consecrated water is an image of God's grace: it cleanses believers from spiritual defilements, sanctifies and strengthens them for the feat of salvation in God, extinguishes the flame of passions, drives away evil spirits.
Therefore, holy water is necessarily present at the consecration of temples and all items used in worship, at the consecration of residential buildings, buildings, any household item. Believers are sprinkled with holy water in processions of the cross, during prayer services.
5.3. What is Agiasma?
- Translated from the Greek "agiasma" - a shrine. This is the name of the water consecrated according to a special great order, on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
5.4. What is the difference between Epiphany water and Epiphany water?
- There is a misconception that these are different waters: the water that is consecrated on January 18 is Epiphany water, and the one consecrated on January 19 is Epiphany water. Both the 18th and 19th January, the water is consecrated with the same great rite. This consecration of water is called great, both in comparison with another, smaller, performed on August 1/14 on the feast of the Origin (wear) of the Honorable Trees of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord, and on other days, and on the special solemnity of the rite, imbued with the memory of the Baptism of the Savior from John in the river Jordan.
The blessing of water performed on the eve of the Epiphany on January 18 serves as a monument to the fact that in ancient times, on the eve of the Epiphany, water blessing was performed for the baptism of the catechumens, and therefore it is performed in the churches where the catechumens were baptized.
After the Liturgy on January 19, the blessing of water is performed in remembrance of the Baptism of the Lord, therefore there is a solemn procession with the cross, the Gospel, lamps and banners, with the ringing of bells and the singing of the troparion to the water sources.
This holiday is called the Epiphany because at the Baptism of the Lord the Divine Most Holy Trinity appeared: God the Father spoke from heaven about the Son, the Son of God was baptized by John and testified by God the Father, and the Holy Spirit descended on the Son in the form of a dove. Since ancient times, this holiday is also called the day of enlightenment and the holiday of lights, because God is Light and appeared to enlighten "Sitting in the darkness and shadow of death"(Matthew 4:16).
5.5. How to use baptismal water?
- Epiphany water is a shrine that should be in every home of an Orthodox Christian. It is carefully kept in the holy corner near the icons. Holy water remains incorruptible for many years, tends not to deteriorate.
Out of reverence for the shrine, they usually take baptismal water on an empty stomach. However, in case of ailments or an attack of evil forces, you can drink it at any time. Holy water can also be used to anoint sore spots and to sprinkle a dwelling.
5.6. What if the holy water is spoiled?
- Corrupted holy water is poured into a stream or river - where there is a current, into the so-called living, unstable (running) water.
5.7. What is artos? When is it distributed? 
- Artos (translated from Greek - "bread") is leavened bread, a special prosphora, consecrated on Easter night. Calling on God's blessing on artos, in a special prayer the priest asks the Lord to heal every ailment and disease, to give health to all who eat it.
Throughout the entire Bright Week, artos stays on the analogion opposite the Royal Doors of the altar and is worn every day for Easter. On Bright Saturday, it is broken up with special prayer and distributed to believers. Artos is a symbol of the Risen Christ and reminds of His stay on earth.
5.8. What is antidor? When and to whom can it be taken?
- Antidor (translated from Greek - "instead of a gift") - these are parts of the main prosphora used for the Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is distributed to those present at the Liturgy for the blessing and consecration of soul and body - so that those who have not partaken of the Holy Mysteries taste the consecrated bread.
Antidor is a shrine, which became it through the prayer of the priest and the remembrance of the suffering of the Savior on the Cross. Therefore, it is established to use antidor only on an empty stomach with attention and caution so as not to spill crumbs on the floor. It is best to taste this sacred bread in the temple, but you can take it home too. You cannot give antidor to unbaptized people.
5.9. What is prosphora and what does it symbolize?
- A prosphora in the present Church is a small round loaf used during divine services. It is made only from kvass wheat dough. The prosphora is two-part (it has an upper and a lower part) - as a reminder of the unity of the two natures of the Lord Jesus Christ: divine and human.
The upper part of the prosphora is imprinted with a seal depicting a four-pointed cross with the words "IC.XC.NIKA" meaning "Jesus Christ the Conqueror". There are prosphora with the image of the Mother of God and the saints of God. The prosphora consecrated in the altar, from which a particle has been taken out, is a shrine.
5.10. What does the word "prosphora" mean?
- Translated from Greek, the word "prosphora" means "offering", since in ancient times the best bread was brought to the temple. Part of it was intended for the celebration of the Sacrament of the Eucharist, the other part was eaten at a fraternal meal.
5.11. How to handle prosphora?
- Since the consecrated church bread is a shrine, it is customary to eat it on an empty stomach, not allowing the crumbs to fall on the floor. Eating prosphora reverently and with faith brings mental and physical health.
It is advisable to burn the paper in which the church bread was wrapped, as crumbs may remain in it. It is better to use special bags for storing prosphora, which are sold in church shops. It is necessary to store the consecrated bread with due care, in a certain place (in the holy corner next to the icons), avoiding mold. If, as a result of careless storage, the consecrated bread nevertheless deteriorates, then it must be burned.
5.12. Is it possible to eat prosphora in the cemetery?
- Prosphora do not eat "for the dead" or "for the living." This shrine serves to consecrate only those who eat it. There is no need to eat prosphora in the cemetery, but you must eat it at home, after reading the prayer "For the use of prosphora and holy water", which is found in Orthodox prayer books.
5.13. Is it possible to crumble a prosphora on a grave?
- Since the prosphora is a shrine, it is not good to crush it. The departed do not need bodily food, they only need prayers for them.
5.14. What kind of bread is distributed at the all-night vigil?
“This is also blessed bread. Previously, the divine services lasted quite a long time (and the all-night vigil - all night), and to strengthen their strength, Christians ate bread. Although the duration of services has now been reduced, this custom has persisted.
5.15. When is Christmas water blessed and given?
- There is no special consecration of water for Christmas.
5.16. What happens if you add Epiphany water to ordinary water?
- Epiphany water will consecrate ordinary water, and all of it will become consecrated.
5.17. Is it possible to cook soup from the remaining holy water?
- Holy water can be added to food for its consecration, it can be sprinkled on food.
5.18. What is the use of taking prosphora and holy water?
- If a person with faith and reverence uses prosphora and holy water, then an unclean spirit does not approach him, soul and body are sanctified, thoughts are illuminated to please God, and he is more inclined towards fasting, prayer and all virtue.
The miraculousness of holy water is convinced not only by Church Tradition, but also by the personal experience of believers. The grace that descends on the water through the prayers of a priest of God gives it the power to heal illnesses (be it headache or insomnia, irritation or what is called a "stressful state"), extinguish passions and weaken the arising sinful urges, free from all evil, cleanse from defilement. Any thing from the everyday life of an Orthodox Christian is sanctified with holy water.
5.19. Can holy water of small consecration be drunk during the day or is it allowed only on an empty stomach?
- Water of small consecration can be drunk during the day.
A Practical Guide to Parish Counseling. St. Petersburg 2009.
It is translated from Greek as "leavened bread" - the consecrated bread common to all members of the Church, otherwise - whole prosphora... Artos, during the entire Bright Week, occupies the most prominent place in the church, together with the icon of the Resurrection of the Lord and, at the conclusion of the Easter celebrations, is distributed to believers.
The use of artos begins from the very beginning of Christianity. On the fortieth day after the Resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven. The disciples and followers of Christ found consolation in prayerful memories of the Lord, they remembered His every word, every step and every action. When they came together for common prayer, they, remembering the Last Supper, partook of the Body and Blood of Christ. Preparing an ordinary meal, they left the first place at the table to the invisibly present Lord and laid bread on this place.
Imitating the apostles, the first pastors of the Church established on the feast of the Resurrection of Christ to place bread in the church as a visible expression of the fact that the Savior who suffered for us has become for us the true bread of life. The artos depicts a cross, on which only the crown of thorns is visible, but there is no Crucified one - as a sign of Christ's victory over death, or an image of the Resurrection of Christ.
The ancient church tradition that the apostles left at the table part of the bread - the portion of the Most Pure Mother of the Lord - is also connected with artos, as a reminder of constant communion with Her and after the meal reverently shared this part among themselves. In monasteries, this custom is called the Chin of Panagia, that is, the remembrance of the Most Holy Mother of the Lord. In parish churches, this bread of Our Lady is remembered once a year in connection with the fragmentation of artos.
Artos is consecrated with a special prayer, sprinkling with holy water and burning incense on the first day of Holy Easter at the Liturgy after the prayer behind the ambo. Artos relies on salt, against the Royal Doors, on a prepared table or lectern. After the consecration of the artos with a lectern with artos, they are placed on the sole in front of the image of the Savior, where the artos lies throughout the entire Holy Week. It is kept in the church throughout the entire Bright Week on a lectern in front of the iconostasis.
On all days of Bright Week, at the end of the Liturgy with artos, a procession of the cross is solemnly performed around the church. On the Saturday of Bright Week, after the prayer behind the ambo, a prayer is read to shatter the artos, the artos is shattered, and at the end of the Liturgy, when kissing the Cross, it is distributed to the people as a shrine.
The particles of artos, received in the temple, are reverently kept by believers as spiritual healing from diseases and infirmities. Artos is used in special cases, for example in illness, and always with the words “Christ is Risen!”.
Throughout the entire bright week in Orthodox churches, you can see it lying on a special table in the most honorable place - in front of the open Royal Doors. This is artos. This is the name of leavened bread with the image of the Cross or the Resurrection of Christ. Artos, translated from Greek, actually means "leavened bread".
The tradition of using artos dates back to apostolic times. When, on the fortieth day after the Resurrection, Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, his disciples and followers found consolation in the memories of their Teacher - they remembered His every word, every action. Gathering for a common prayer, they, remembering the Last Supper, partook of the Body and Blood of Christ. During a common meal, the students traditionally left the first place at the table to the Teacher, who was invisibly present among them, and laid bread on this place.
Continuing the Apostolic tradition, the first pastors of the Church established the tradition on the Feast of the Resurrection of Christ to place bread in the church as a visible expression of the fact that the Savior who suffered for us has become for us the true bread of life. In Orthodox monasteries, this tradition has been preserved almost unchanged: throughout the entire Bright Week, artos is brought to the refectory and delivered to an empty seat at the table or on a separate table. Artos today symbolizes the invisible presence of Jesus Christ in our lives.
As a rule, I start baking artos during the days of Great Lent or shortly before it begins. It depends, first of all, on the required amount. In parish churches, where small quantities of bread are baked, they are fully managed in the week before Easter; in large monasteries, where the count is in the thousands, they begin to do this long before Lent.
At the same time, the process of baking artos itself, in its essence, is not much different from baking ordinary prosphora, and, perhaps, not so much complicated as laborious. Suffice it to say that the baking itself lasts more than four hours. But you still need to prepare the dough, cool the baked artos ...
The full technological cycle of baking artos lasts almost twenty-four hours. And artos is baked in ... ordinary aluminum pans coated with wax from the inside. The doneness of the baked bread is determined by its color. The body of artos should have the color of a human body, that is, almost white with a slight yellowish tinge.
Finished artos are removed to a specially designated place, where they remain until Easter. Properly baked artos, if stored properly, can be stored for several months without losing its qualities.
And now, finally, the bright holiday of the Resurrection of Christ. At the Easter service after the Liturgy, the artos is taken to the church and installed in front of the Royal Doors. The rite of consecrating artos is performed. The priest reads prayers appropriate to the solemn moment and sprinkles holy water on the artos.
Consecrated artos, laid on a special table in front of the Royal Doors, we see the entire bright week. Every day, after the Liturgy, a procession of the cross is performed with the artos around the church, and after that it is returned to its place.
Well, on a bright Saturday, again after the Liturgy, the last procession of the cross takes place and the priest performs the rite of crushing the artos. The priest reads a special prayer outside the ambo and cuts the body of the artos into small pieces with a copy.
The word artos (in Greek - leavened bread) is the consecrated bread common to all members of the Church, otherwise - whole prosphora.
Artos, during the entire Bright Week, occupies the most prominent place in the church, together with the image of the Resurrection of the Lord and, at the conclusion of the Easter celebrations, is distributed to believers.
The use of artos begins from the very beginning of Christianity. On the fortieth day after the Resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven. The disciples and followers of Christ found consolation in prayerful memories of the Lord - they remembered His every word, every step and every action. When they came together for common prayer, they, remembering the Last Supper, partook of the Body and Blood of Christ. Preparing an ordinary meal, they left the first place at the table to the invisibly present Lord and laid bread on this place. Imitating the Apostles, the first pastors of the Church established on the feast of the Resurrection of Christ to lay bread in the church, as a visible expression of the fact that the Savior who suffered for us has become for us the true bread of life. The artos depicts a cross, on which only the crown of thorns is visible, but there is no Crucified one - as a sign of Christ's victory over death, or an image of the Resurrection of Christ. The ancient church tradition that the Apostles left at the table a portion of the bread - the portion of the Most Pure Mother of the Lord as a reminder of constant communion with Her - is also connected with artos, and after the meal they reverently shared this portion among themselves. In monasteries, this custom is called the Chin of Panagia, that is, the remembrance of the Most Holy Mother of the Lord. In parish churches, this bread of Our Lady is remembered once a year in connection with the fragmentation of artos.
Artos is consecrated with a special prayer, sprinkling with holy water and burning incense on the first day of Holy Easter at the Liturgy after the prayer behind the ambo. On the salt, opposite the Royal Doors, on a prepared table or a lectern, artos is believed. If several artos are prepared, then all of them are consecrated at the same time. After censing around the table with an installed artos, the priest reads the prayer: “God Almighty and Lord Almighty, Who is Thy servant Moses in the exodus of Israel from Egypt, and in the liberation of Thy people from the bitter work of Pharaoh, you commanded to slay the lamb, imitating on the Cross what was slain by your will for our sake. The Lamb that takes away the sins of the whole world, Thy beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ! Even now, we humbly pray to Thee, look upon this bread, and bless and sanctify it. For we also are Thy servants in honor, I glorify, and in remembrance of the glorious Resurrection of the same Son of Thy Lord Jesus Christ, Imzhe from the eternal work of hostility and from the unresolvable hellish bonds, permission, freedom and conduct of goodness, before Thy Majesty now in this all-luminous, glorious and The saving day of Easter, we bring this: we who bring this, and that kiss and eat from it, partakers of Your heavenly blessing to be, and every disease and ailment from us by Your power to take away, giving health to everyone. Thou art a source of blessing and a giver of celibacy, and we glorify Thee without beginning to the Father, with Thy Only Begotten Son, and the Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Thy Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever. "
After the prayer, the priest sprinkles the artos with holy water, saying: “The artos is blessed and consecrated by this sprinkling of sowing sacred water, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen "(three times). The anala with artos is placed on the sole in front of the image of the Savior, where the artos lies throughout the entire Holy Week. It is kept in the church throughout the entire Bright Week on a lectern in front of the iconostasis. On all days of Bright Week, at the end of the Liturgy with artos, a procession of the cross is solemnly performed around the church.
On Saturday of Bright Week, after the Ambo prayer, a prayer is read to shatter the artos: “Lord, Jesus Christ, our God, the Bread of Angels, the Bread of eternal life, descended from Heaven, nourishing us in all these days with the spiritual food of Your Divine blessings, ! Look now, we humbly pray to You, for our prayers and thanksgiving, and as if you blessed the five loaves of bread in the desert, and now bless this bread, as if you eat from it, bodily and spiritual blessings and health will be awarded the grace and generosity of Your love for mankind. Thou art our sanctification, and we glorify Thee, with Thy Beginning Father and All-Holy, and Good, and Thy Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and forever and ever. "
Artos disintegrates and at the end of the Liturgy, when kissing the Cross, is distributed to the people as a shrine.
The genus of artos at the lower degree of consecration represents an Easter cake, church ritual food, but not at all worldly luxury.
About eating prosphora, antidor and artos
The prosphora, which is given after the end of the Liturgy, is a shrine and is reverently eaten by believers before taking any food.
According to the Church's rules, the antidor should be eaten in the church, on an empty stomach and with reverence, because it is the holy bread, bread from the altar of God, part of the offerings to the altar of Christ, from which it receives heavenly sanctification.
The particles of artos, received in the temple, are reverently kept by believers as spiritual healing from diseases and infirmities. Artos is used in special cases, for example, in illness, and always with the words "Christ is Risen!"
Prosphora and artos are kept in the holy corner near the icons. The spoiled prosphora and artos should be burned by oneself (or taken to the church for this), or sent down the river with clean water.
18.04.2017On Easter night, a special Easter bread is consecrated - or, as it is also called, "whole prosphora." It remains in the church throughout the entire Bright Week, and then it is fragmented and distributed to believers. But for a considerable number of those who visit the church on Easter, it remains unclear what kind of bread can be seen in front of the Royal Doors. Questions about artos and related customs are answered by Priest Konstantin Shcherbak, senior priest of the church in the name of St. Demetrius of Rostov (courtyard of the Tikhvin Assumption Monastery of the Theotokos in the northern capital), a teacher of liturgy at St. Petersburg theological schools.
What is artos in Orthodoxy?
- The tradition associated with artos is peculiar. After all, we have the Eucharist, we partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ on Easter and on Bright Week. Nevertheless, over time, a tradition has developed: artos is illuminated at the Easter Liturgy, throughout the entire Bright Week it stands in the Royal Doors and also reminds us of the presence with us in the temple of the Risen Christ Himself, who is the Bread of Life. Here He just commanded us to celebrate the Eucharist, suffered and rose again - entering the temple, we see artos and remember it. Also, during the entire Bright Week, artos is taken to the procession of the cross. That is, the liturgical function of artos is a reminder. On Saturday of Bright Week, artos is distributed to parishioners.
What is depicted on artos?
- As a rule, in modern practice in St. Petersburg, the same is depicted on artos as on an ordinary prosphora - a cross and the inscriptions "IC XC NI KA" (Jesus Christ the Winner).
Some people confuse the two "church words" artos and antidor. What is important to know?
- Artos is artos, antidor is antidor (smiling - I. L.). While preparing bread for the liturgy, we cut out the central part from the largest prosphora with the memory of the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross. And what remains - these sidewalls of the prosphora - is called the antidor. And since the antidor is also included in the liturgical space (a lamb was removed from it), this is no longer simple bread, but consecrated one, and we treat it with special reverence - just like all other prosphora used in the liturgy. In some monasteries there is a tradition of bringing antidor to the refectory and breaking it there for eating. Also in the monasteries there is the rite of panagia, when not antidor is brought to the refectory, but prosphora, which is used at the Liturgy with the remembrance of the Mother of God. And in parish practice, this bread is consumed by those who pray after Communion - along with drinking, people eat pieces of antidor and other prosphora used in the Liturgy.
Where to store artos?
- There is not much difference. But it is clear that, since this is consecrated bread, it is impious to put it in the freezer along with the chicken. Someone keeps it on the shelf next to the icons. For example, I have a special shelf in the closet where there are various items related to the performance of the Sacraments and Requirements, various shrines, including prosphora.
Is there a special prayer for accepting artos?
- No. There is a popular, let's say, prayer just for the acceptance of prosphora and holy water. I think that it is possible to replace the word "prosphora" with the word "artos" in this prayer and say it.
How is artos taken?
- They try to take any such shrine on an empty stomach. But in some special circumstances, for example, if a person is sick and wants to support himself with some kind of shrine, then you can taste it in the evening before going to bed. As for holy water, it is quite logical for a believer to drink artos with it, and not, for example, tea.
Can artos be kept for several years?
- There is a legend, for example, that artos does not deteriorate for a whole year. But this is no longer from the field of theology, but from the field of Orthodox customs. And we know very well that if we want to preserve artos for a long time, then we need to make crackers from it. Otherwise, it will still get moldy. A miracle, of course, can happen, but experience shows that it will grow moldy, because this is leavened bread. And so, after the particles of artos are distributed, everyone is free to do as he wants - you can taste it right away, you can save it.
