Proskomedia is the most important commemoration of the living and the dead. At the Liturgy, the priest takes out particles from the prosphoras about the health and repose of those for whom the believers submitted notes.
At the end of the Liturgy, the particles taken from the prosphora are immersed in the Holy Chalice, at which time the priest pronounces the words: “Wash away, Lord, the sins of those who were remembered here by Your honest Blood, by the prayers of Your saints.” The particles come into contact with the Body and Blood of Christ the Savior.
This is the strength and effectiveness of removing parts from the prosphoras.
This is not just a prayer for this or that living or dead, but the cleansing of sins by this very bloodless Sacrifice. Here each part, imbued with the Blood of the Savior, becomes an intercessor before Him for the one about whose name it was taken.
That is why taking out from the prosphora a particle about someone living or dead during the Liturgy in the Orthodox Church has always been considered the most saving and fruitful action.
Proskomedia also symbolizes the birth of Jesus Christ and is performed in the altar secretly for the believers in the church - just as the birth of the Savior took place secretly, unknown to the world.
That's why YOU CAN ONLY SUBMIT NOTES TO THE ALTAR FOR THOSE BAPTIZED IN ORTHODOXY! 40-mouths are also not accepted for suicides.
IN OUR TEMPLE, in addition to a one-time commemoration at the proskomedia, you can also apply for a LONG-TERM REMEMBER. The difference in such remembrance is only in time - the period of remembrance (A PARTICLE IS TAKEN OUT FROM THE PROSPHORA).
In some other temples the particle is not removed for a period longer than the fortieth day.
YOU CAN SERVE SOROKOSTA IN SEVERAL TEMPLES
How to order a magpie, a commemoration for six months, a year?
To do this, you need to come to the temple, go to the shop where they sell candles and say: “I need to order a magpie / for six months / for a year for health / repose and tell the person’s name.
How to order a one-time memorial? To do this, you need to write a note yourself (you can do it at home, you can take the form from church shop
), into which you can enter up to 10-15 names. “On repose” and “On health” are submitted separately. This note must be given to the seller in the shop.
Memorial notes are always paid. Commemorations of health are ordered not only for sick people, but also for healthy people
Why is such a time period chosen for some commemorations as forty days? We know from Holy Scripture and Tradition that often in order to achieve a certain spiritual result, a feat that lasts exactly 40 days is needed. There's a secret here.
We also know from patristic revelation that the soul of a deceased person on the fortieth day after death receives a determination of its fate at the private court of God. And therefore we especially pray during this period. From the above it follows that there is meaning in continuous forty days of prayer.
Elder Schema-Archimandrite Zosima noted that the entire history of mankind is measured in “weeks and forties.” “For forty days Christ appeared to his disciples, remaining on earth until the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord. The holy holiday is the fortieth day of the Ascension of the Lord. We celebrate Easter on the eve and will celebrate the great annual holiday on the fortieth day after Easter - the Ascension of the Lord. Sorokoust - forty days of fasting, forty days of Easter, everything comes in forties, weeks and forties. And the history of mankind also goes on in weeks and forties.”
How is the offering of the Sacrifice performed in the temple according to our notes?
Preparation for Her begins during the proskomedia.
Proskomedia is a part of the liturgy during which bread and wine are prepared for the sacrament.
Translated from Greek, this word means “bringing” - the ancient Christians themselves brought bread and wine to the temple, necessary for the liturgy.
Proskomedia, symbolizing the birth of Jesus Christ, is performed in the altar secretly for the believers in the church - just as the birth of the Savior took place secretly, unknown to the world.
For proskomedia, five special prosphoras are used.
From the first prosphora, after special prayers, the priest cuts out the middle in the shape of a cube - this part of the prosphora is given the name Lamb. This “lamb” prosphora rests on a paten, a round dish on a stand, symbolizing the manger in which the Savior was born. The lamb prosphora is actually used for Communion.
From the second prosphora, the “Mother of God” prosphora, the priest takes out a portion in honor of the Mother of God. This particle is placed on the paten to the left of the Lamb.
From the third prosphora, the “nine-time” prosphora, nine particles are taken out - in honor of the saints: John the Baptist, prophets, apostles, saints, martyrs and saints, unmercenaries, Joachim and Anna, and the saint in whose name the liturgy is celebrated. These taken out particles are placed on the right side of the Lamb, three particles in a row.
After this, the clergyman proceeds to the fourth prosphora, from which they take out particles about the living - about the Patriarch, bishops, presbyters and deacons. From the fifth prosphora they take out particles about the deceased - Patriarchs, creators of churches, bishops, priests.
These removed particles are also placed on the paten - first for the living, below - for the dead.
Then the priest removes the particles from the prosphora served by the believers.
At this time, remembrances are read - notes, memorial books, which we submitted to the candle box for the proskomedia.
After reading each name indicated in the note, the clergyman takes out a piece of prosphora, saying: “Remember, Lord, (the name we wrote is indicated).”
These particles, taken out according to our notes, are also placed on the paten along with the particles taken from the liturgical prosphora.
This is the first, invisible by those praying, commemoration of those whose names are written in the notes we submitted.
So, the particles taken out according to our notes lie on the paten, next to the particles taken from special liturgical prosphoras.
The particles lying in this order on the paten symbolize the entire Church of Christ.
“At the proskomedia, the entire Church, heavenly and earthly, is figuratively presented gathered around the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world... What a close connection is between the Lord and His saints, between Him and those who live piously on earth and those who die in faith and piety: remember what a close connection is between us both saints and those who have died in Christ, and love everyone as members of the Lord and as your own members - writes the saint righteous John Kronstadt about particles taken from prosphoras and placed on the paten. - How close to each other are the celestials and the earthly inhabitants, and Mother of God and all the saints, and all of us, Orthodox Christians, when the divine, universal, heavenly, universal Liturgy is celebrated! My God! What a joyful, life-giving communication!”
Many believe that the particles offered for the living and the dead are a cleansing sacrifice for our sins.
It's a delusion. You can be cleansed from sin only by repentance, correction of life, mercy, and good deeds.
The particles taken out from the prosphora we serve are not consecrated into the body of the Lord; when they are removed, there is no remembrance of Christ’s suffering: during the ascension of the Holy Lamb, during the proclamation “Holy to the Holies,” these particles do not rise for the mysterious elevation to the cross with the flesh of the Savior. These particles are not given as communion with the Flesh of the Savior. Why are they brought? So that through them the believers, whose names are written in our notes, receive grace, sanctification and remission of sins from the cleansing sacrifice offered on the Throne.
A particle taken from our prosphora, reclining near the most pure Body of the Lord, being brought into the chalice, filled with Divine blood, is completely filled with sacred things and spiritual gifts and sends them down to the one whose name is exalted. After all the communicants have partaken of the Holy Mysteries, the deacon places into the chalice the particles of the saints, the living and the dead, reclining on the paten.
This is done so that the saints, in their closest union with God, will rejoice in heaven, and the living and the dead, whose names are indicated in the notes, will be washed by the most pure blood God's Son, received remission of sins and eternal life.
This is also evidenced by the words spoken by the priest: “Wash away, O Lord, the sins of those who were remembered here, with Your Honest Blood.”
That is why it is necessary to commemorate the living and the dead precisely in the Church, at the liturgy - after all, it is here that the cleansing of the sins we commit every day takes place through the Blood of Christ. The sacrifice made by our Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary and offered daily during the liturgy on the Holy Throne is a complete and completely exhaustive payment for our debt to God - and only it, like fire, can burn away all of a person’s sins.
Submit a church note (commemoration)
Brothers and sisters, now you can order requirements from the list offered to you right here on the website
Nowadays development information technologies allows you to submit memorial donations remotely. On the website of the Holy Resurrection Church (old) in Vichug, such an opportunity also appeared - submitting notes via the Internet. The process of submitting a note takes just a few minutes...
Join us on the channel Yandex.Zen.
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What should I order for a prayer service or proskomedia to keep loved ones healthy? It is best to get the answer from your confessor.
Procedure for holding the proskomedia
Priests prepare in a special way for the liturgy, after which Orthodox Christians can take communion, one of the seven Sacraments of the Church.
For the first part of the Liturgy, parishioners bring bread and other offerings, clergy prepare wine and special bread for communion.
The clergy put on attire appropriate to the Liturgy in order to perform a special ceremony at the altar - presenting before the Lord the people for whom their relatives and friends are asking.
The ritual takes place with the gates closed, in the altar, emphasizing the mystery of the coming of the Savior, invisible to many. The priest proclaims each name out loud, while saying “Remember, Lord (name).”
After reading the entrance prayers, the priest puts on festive clothes and washes his hands.
From the first lamb prosphora, the priest cuts out the middle part in the form of a quadrangle - the Lamb.
Before the birth of Jesus Christ Old Testament It was possible to atone for sins only by sacrificing a killed animal. Man sinned, but an innocent creature was killed. God no longer wanted the blood of innocent animals and sent His Son to earth, who became the last Lamb sacrificed for the sins of the world. Only the believer in Jesus Christ, who accepted his sacrifice for his sins, will be saved.
Taking out the middle recalls both the birth and death of Christ.
Paten, chalice, star, spear, spoon
The meaning of objects in the Liturgy
Each thing used in the first part of the Liturgy has special meaning. The paten, with the cut out middle of the first bread placed on it, symbolizes the manger in which the Savior was born, and the thunder where He was buried.
Piercing with a spear right side the middle of the removed piece is made in memory of how the guard pierced the right rib of Jesus, and Blood and water poured out of it.
To pour wine diluted with water, a special bowl is used - a chalice.
From the second, the Mother of God prosphora, the middle is taken out in the form of a triangle, and the Mother of God is commemorated. The triangular part is placed to the right of the quadrangular part - the symbol of the Lamb.
From the left side of the Lamb, 9 parts of the “ninefold”, the third sacred bread, symbolizing the saints, are ironed out.
Under the “feet of the Lamb” 2 parts taken from the fourth prosphora are placed. Part of it is the living clergy, the second is all the laity of the Orthodox Church.
Part of the fifth bread is a symbol of the memory of the departed.
For reference! From the loaves given by the laity, the priest takes out as many particles as there are names written on the memorial lists. The following is a prayer for health.
Remember, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, Thy mercy and generosity from all eternity, for whose sake Thou didst become man, and Thou didst deign to endure crucifixion and death, for the sake of the salvation of those who believe in Thee; and rose from the dead, you ascended into heaven and sit at the right hand of God the Father, and look upon the humble prayers of those who call upon You with all their hearts: incline Your ear and hear the humble prayer of me, Your indecent servant, in the stench of the spiritual fragrance, which brings You for all Your people . And in the first place, remember Your Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, which You have provided with Your venerable Blood, and establish, and strengthen, and expand, multiply, pacify, and preserve the insurmountable gates of hell forever; Calm the tearing of the Churches, quench the pagan vacillations, and quickly destroy and eradicate the heresies of rebellion, and convert them into nothingness by the power of Your Holy Spirit. ( Bow)
Save, Lord, and have mercy on our God-protected country, its authorities and army, protect their power with peace, and subdue every enemy and adversary under the nose of the Orthodox, and say peaceful and good words in their hearts about Your Holy Church, and about all Your people: yes Let us live a quiet and silent life in orthodoxy and in all piety and purity. ( Bow)
Save, Lord, and have mercy on our Great Lord and Father His Holiness Patriarch Alexy, your Eminence metropolitans, archbishops and Orthodox bishops, priests and deacons, and the entire church clergy, who have appointed you to shepherd your verbal flock, and through their prayers have mercy and save me, a sinner. ( Bow)
Save, Lord, and have mercy on my spiritual father (his name), and with his holy prayers forgive my sins. ( Bow)
Save, O Lord, and have mercy on my parents (their names), brothers and sisters, and my relatives according to the flesh, and all the neighbors of my family, and others, and grant them Your peaceful and most peaceful goodness. ( Bow)
Save, O Lord, and have mercy, according to the multitude of Your bounties, all the sacred monks, monks and nuns, and all those living in virginity and reverence and fasting in monasteries, in deserts, in caves, mountains, pillars, gates, rock crevices, and sea islands, and in every place of Thy dominion, those who live faithfully and piously serve Thee, and pray to Thee: ease their burden, and comfort their sorrow, and grant them strength and strength to strive for Thee, and through their prayers grant me remission of sins. ( Bow)
Save, O Lord, and have mercy on the old and the young, the poor and the orphans and the widows, and those who are in sickness and sorrow, troubles and sorrows, conditions and captivity, prisons and imprisonments, and even more so in persecution, for You for the sake of the Orthodox faith, from the tongue of the godless, from the apostate and from the heretics, Thy present servants, and remember, visit, strengthen, comfort, and soon by Thy power I will weaken, grant them freedom and deliver. ( Bow)
Save, O Lord, and have mercy on us, who are merciful and nourishing to us, who gave us alms, and who commanded us unworthy to pray for them, and who give us rest, and do Thy mercy to them, granting them all the petitions for salvation, and the perception of eternal blessings . ( Bow)
Save, Lord, and have mercy on those sent to the service, those traveling, our fathers and brethren, and all Orthodox Christians. ( Bow)
Save, Lord, and have mercy on them who I tempted with my madness, and turned away from the path of salvation, and led me to evil and inappropriate deeds; By Your Divine Providence, return again to the path of salvation. ( Bow)
Save, Lord, and have mercy on those who hate and offend me, and those who create misfortunes against me, and do not leave them to perish for my sake, a sinner. ( Bow)
Those who have departed from the Orthodox faith and are blinded by destructive heresies, enlighten the light of Your knowledge and bring Your Holy Apostles to the Catholic Church. ( Bow)
After the prayer, all the particles symbolizing the people given in the notes are laid out on the paten. The created image symbolizes the unity of the Church, both earthly and heavenly, whose heart is Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.
As in the world, the paten represents the living, the deceased, the sick, the lost - the people of the world who are so loved by God.
After the end of the Liturgy, all the pieces symbolizing the people for whom they prayed are lowered into the chalice with wine. This is a prototype of a unique action - everyone who is around Jesus will be cleansed by His Blood from all sins and will receive forgiveness.
How does proskomedia end?
Finishing sacred rite carrying out a star, a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem.
The star covers the Lamb and does not allow Him to be touched by the cloths that cover the chalice and paten with bread at the end of the proskomedia. The three paintings remind the laity of both the swaddling clothes of the baby and the burial shrouds with which Jesus was wrapped after death.
Watch the video about proskomedia
).
Believers gather in the temple for joint prayer. God Himself mysteriously dwells in the temple. The temple is the house of God. In the temple, the priests offer the Most Holy Bloodless Sacrifice. Even in Old Testament times, prayers were accompanied by the sacrifice of animals to cleanse sins and appease God. In the Church of the New Testament, animal sacrifice does not exist, because “ Christ died for our sins» (). « He is the propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for the sins of the whole world.» ().
He sacrificed His Most Pure Blood and Flesh for everyone and established at the Last Supper the Sacrament of Holy Communion, the offering under the guise of bloodless gifts - bread and wine - of His Most Pure Flesh and Blood for the remission of sins, which is performed in churches at the Divine Liturgy.
Church prayer has special power also because it is offered by a priest specially appointed to perform sacred rites and offer prayers and sacrifices to God for people.
« I chose you and installed you, says the Savior to His Apostles, so that...whatever you ask from the Father in My name, He will give you» ().
They transferred the rights given from the Lord to the apostles and the duties and powers assigned to them to the successors they appointed: bishops and presbyters, bequeathing to them both power and law, and an indispensable duty, first of all... “to make prayers, petitions, supplications, thanksgivings for all people”().
That is why the holy Apostle James says to Christians: “ Is any of you sick? Let him call the elders of the Church and let them pray over him.» ().
How often should reminder notes be given?
The prayer of the Church and the Most Holy Sacrifice attract the mercy of the Lord to us, purifying and saving us.
We always, both during life and after death, need God's mercy towards us.
Therefore, it is necessary to be worthy of the prayers of the Church and the offering of the sacrifice of the Holy Gifts for us or our loved ones, living and deceased, as often as possible, and necessarily on those days that have special meaning: on birthdays, baptism days, name days of both one’s own and members of your family.
Honoring the memory of the saint whose name we bear, we thereby call upon our patron to pray and intercede before God, because, as they say in Holy Scripture, The fervent prayer of the righteous can accomplish much().
It is imperative to submit a note of remembrance on your child’s birthdays and baptisms.
Mothers must carefully monitor this, because caring for the child is their sacred duty..
Whether sin attracts us to itself, whether some passion takes possession of us, whether the devil tempts us, whether despair or inconsolable sorrow befalls us, whether trouble, need, illness have visited us - in such cases, the prayer of the Church with the offering of the Bloodless Sacrifice serves as the surest means of deliverance, strengthening and consolation.
A reminder for those wishing to submit a note about the living and the deceased
1. Notes must be submitted before the start of the liturgy. It is best to submit memorial notes in the evening or early in the morning, before the start of the service.
2. When writing down the names of the living and the dead, remember them in the process of writing with a sincere desire for their good, from the bottom of your heart, trying to remember the one whose name you are writing - this is already a prayer.
3. The note must contain no more than ten names. If you want to remember many of your family and friends, send a few notes.
4. Names must be written in genitive case(answer the question “who?”).
The names of bishops and priests (priests) are indicated first, and their rank is indicated - for example, “about the health” of Bishop Tikhon, Abbot Tikhon, Priest Yaroslav, then write your name, your family and friends.
The same applies to notes “about the repose” - for example, Metropolitan John, Archpriest Michael, Alexandra, John, Anthony, Elijah, etc.
5. All names must be given in church spelling (for example, Iulia, not Yulia) and in full (for example, Alexander, Nikolai, but not Sasha, Kolya),
6. The notes do not indicate last names, patronymics, ranks and titles, or degrees of relationship.
7. A child under 7 years old can be indicated in a note as an infant - baby John.
8. If you want, in health notes you can mention “sick”, “warrior”, “travelling”, “prisoner” before the name. They don’t write in notes – “suffering”, “embarrassed”, “needy”, “lost”.
9. In the notes “On repose” the deceased is referred to as “newly deceased” within 40 days after death. It is allowed in notes “On repose” to write before the name “killed”, “warrior”, “of ever-memorable” (day of death, name day of the deceased).
Is it possible to write in notes “For health” and “For repose” of people for whom it is unknown whether they have been baptized?
The notes that are given to the altar at the proskomedia list the people for whom the Holy Church makes the Bloodless Sacrifice at the liturgy. Therefore, it is understood that all these people are not only baptized, but also recognize themselves as members of the Church.
If people are baptized, but do not live the church life (), then it is more appropriate to submit notes for them for commemoration when reading the Psalter.
How to write in notes the names of people whose names are not in the calendar?
The tradition of baptizing with the name "from" church calendar", i.e. according to the calendar, this is only a good Russian tradition, which does not exclude the commemoration of those Christians whose names do not correspond to it. There is even a special circular on this topic:
“The Moscow Patriarchate receives letters that draw attention to cases of denial of liturgical commemoration and participation in the Sacraments in relation to those Orthodox believers who are baptized in other Local Orthodox Churches(for example, in Bulgarian, Georgian, Romanian, Serbian, Finnish, etc.) with the naming of names that are not in the month book of the Russian Orthodox Church.
In the traditions of some Local Churches It is permissible at baptism to name infants with national names that are not in church calendars.
In connection with the above, with the blessing of His Holiness, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', I remind you that no restrictions should be allowed in liturgical commemoration and admission to the Sacraments of the Church for believers bearing national names and baptized in other Local Orthodox Churches.
I ask you to convey this information to the abbots of the monasteries and parishes of the diocese entrusted to you.”
The Orthodox faith has so many nuances and special rituals that it is simply impossible to know them all and understand them to an ordinary person it can be extremely difficult. So, proskomedia: what it is and what this action represents - this is exactly what I want to talk about in the article.
Designation
It is worth saying that the most important church service is mass, or liturgy, where the sacrament of communion is celebrated. For this ritual It is necessary to have red grape wine, as well as bread or prosphora. They must be prepared in a special way before the start of the liturgy. To do this, the priest, together with the deacon, dressed in elegant sacred clothes, perform special actions on the altar, altar and read special prayers. We can conclude: before the liturgy, certain preparations are necessary, which by their nature are very important. That’s exactly what they are called proskomedia. It is worth saying that there is a proskomedia about repose, as well as about health.
About the word
It is also necessary to understand the concepts. So, proskomedia: what is it? Translated from Greek language this word means offering. However, it is very difficult to draw any conclusions based on this. Indeed, in the first part of the mass no mysterious offering was made to God, but special preparations were made, thanks to which the bread and wine became not ordinary, but sacred. Already at the stage of proskomedia, they could not be mixed with ordinary products and consumed together.
About preparation for the proskomedia
Having understood the concept of “proskomedia” - what it is and what language it came from - it is also worth considering the preparation of wine and prosphora itself. As has already become clear, these are the products that Jesus himself consumed when establishing the sacrament. It is worth talking about prosphora. Translated, its name means “bringing gift.” Where did this word come from? In ancient times, to prepare sacred bread, people brought various varieties and types to church so that the best one could be chosen for church activities. Part of it was used in the selection, the rest was consumed at a friendly meal, which always happened after the liturgy, and where all the lay people present at the mass were invited. At the same time, other products were also brought to the church, such as wine, etc. All this was united in one word - prosphora. Today things are a little different. It is not customary to bring all kinds of food to church, so prosphora is the name given exclusively to bread that is no longer brought by believers, but is baked at churches in special rooms by prosphorini (women from among the wives of priests or honest widows).
About bread
So, proskomedia (we’ve already figured out what it is) - the most important stage preparations for the liturgy. It is worth saying that the bread itself for this purpose is necessarily made from wheat flour(this is exactly what the Jews consumed during the life of Christ). Its meaning was very important: it represented the atoning death of Jesus Christ. According to beliefs, everything can be known by comparison: after all, only by dying and becoming bread can wheat bring many benefits. However, if it simply crumbles on the field, it will not fulfill its most important purpose. The same applies to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The very preparation of prosphora is considered a sacred act: the bread should be white, not anointed with anything at the preparation stage (milk, eggs), and moderately salted. It is served only fresh, not moldy, not hard. It is also interesting that the bread consists of two halves, which symbolize the human and divine likeness of Christ.
About wine
Wine should be prepared along with the bread for the sacrament of the Eucharist. It will definitely be red (representing the blood of Christ) and grape (because such wine was consumed by the Establisher Himself, as stated in
Prosphora
It is worth saying that particles in honor of all saints, clergy, as well as people living and dead, are removed from four prosphoras: the Mother of God, the nine-rite, the health and the funeral. If we take into account the obligatory prosphora of the Lamb, then the service will be performed in five units. Other prosphora may also be brought, but the total amount today should not be less than five. Having bowed three times, the clergyman picks up the first prosphora, which is usually larger than the rest, and cuts out a quadrangular Lamb from it, saying special words and placing it on the paten. From the second prosphora the priest takes out a piece of the Mother of God. The third prosphora is a nine-rite prosphora, intended for the memory of nine saints: prophets, apostles, martyrs, as well as saints who are revered in a given church or city. It is worth saying that during the entire liturgy the names of the living are mentioned quite often. And for the first time this happens at the proskomedia. First there is a proskomedia about health, then about repose. After the commemoration of the living and the dead has ended, the priest almost always takes out a particle for himself, while reading special prayers.
A note
In church terminology, there is such a thing as a note for a proskomedia. What is it? Before the liturgy, everyone can submit a specific petition written on paper about those people for whom the priest will pray. More than once, everyone has seen that from the piece of bread that the priest gives at the sacrament of the Eucharist, it is as if a piece has been taken away. There will be exactly as many such holes throughout the prosphora as there are names listed on the note. All these crumbs are collected on the paten, during the liturgy they are next to the Lamb (large prosphora), and after such symbolic “souls” are immersed in a cup of wine. In this case, the clergyman must read a special prayer. It will be important that the names of only Orthodox baptized people can be included in the note. There are also simple and custom notes. Information about this must be clarified directly with the church itself. However, in general, according to a simple note, the person’s name will simply be taken out at the proskomedia; according to the order, it will also be heard at the prayer service.
Types of notes
It is worth saying that there are two types of notes. The first is that a proskomedia about health can be ordered. Before starting the service, you need to write down on a special piece of paper, which will most often be located near the candle counter, the names of people for whose health you need to pray. According to the same document, a proskomedia for the repose is performed. When writing down people's names, it is important to carefully read the inscriptions on top and not mix up the leaves. If you need to order a commemoration at the proskomedia, you can submit a note in the evening, simply indicating the required date.
About the living and the dead
Commemoration at the proskomedia for the living and the dead is performed by virtue of the bloodless sacrifice prepared for the proskomedia. It is also worth saying that vital importance it has not only for people living on earth, but also for dead people. There is a legend about a brother who, for certain sins before the church, was deprived of burial and reading prayers for 30 days after his death. At the end of this time, when everything was done according to Christian laws, the spirit appeared to the living brother and said that only now he had found peace, only after a bloodless sacrifice had been made.
Preparations for the proskomedia
The priest and deacon must carefully prepare for such a sacred rite as proskomedia. Several important nuances must be met here.
- Prayers are required before entering the altar and in front of the altar itself.
- Priests must wear special clothes.
- The procedure of washing hands with reading verses from the 25th Psalm is mandatory.
The proskomedia itself
There are various ways to find out how proskomedia goes: photos will help you with this. However, it is better to find out in advance what will happen at this time. The main part of proskomedia consists of a short-term action. The priest and deacon stand in front of the altar, where they are placed sacred vessels: chalice, paten, spear, star, cover. During the reading of prayers, rituals with prosphora (sacred bread) are performed.
End of the proskomedia
After the end of the proskomedia, the clergy prepare for the more solemn part - the liturgy. However, all this must take place according to certain rules.
- Every holy meal and the whole church by the deacon.
- Reading special prayers.
- The deacon asks the priest for permission to begin the next part of the liturgy.
Part church service, preceding the Divine Liturgy, called proskomedia.
What is proskomedia, what is the priest’s answer? This is a very important action in Orthodoxy: during it, wine and bread are prepared, symbolizing the Blood and Body of Christ, for the climax of the Liturgy - the Sacrament of Communion. At the same time, pieces are taken out from the prosphora with a list of names from the notes submitted by parishioners and prayer for them - both living and those who have left this world.
The name “proskomedia” translated from Greek means “preparation”, which in principle is the essence of the action. Another meaning is “bringing.” It has been preserved since ancient times, when the first Christians baked the prosphora necessary for the Liturgy themselves and brought it with them along with wine, and after the proskomedia they took the bread home.
Symbolism of Proskomedia
This service is performed at the altar. Those in the church do not see how this happens - this is the first symbol: the secrecy of the action recalls the secrecy of the Nativity of Christ, which took place in a cave unknown and invisible to the world.
Prosphora for the sacrament. The whole action is performed over five liturgical prosphoras. After reading special prayers, the priest cuts out the center of one of them in the form of a cube. This part of the prosphora is called the Lamb and symbolizes the Savior himself, sacrificed to the slaughter.
A round dish standing on a stand is called a paten and is also a symbol of the manger where the newborn God-infant was placed. The “lamb” prosphora is placed on the paten. It is this part of the prosphora that will be used during Communion.
Particles are removed from the remaining four “bread loaves”:
- in honor of the Virgin Mary,
- in honor of John the Baptist, prophets, apostles and all saints,
- about the health of church hierarchs - from the Patriarch to the deacons,
- about the repose of the same ranks, including the deceased founders of temples.
Prosphora on the paten. All the particles taken from the prosphoras are laid out on the paten in a certain order, as if surrounding the Lamb: to the left of it is the “Virgin” particle; on the right - nine “saintly” particles; below - for living clergy, and even lower - for the deceased.
Following this, the priest begins the usual prosphora. After reading each name indicated in the note, he takes out a piece with the words: “Remember, Lord, (name).”
Thus, if a person submitted notes on a candle box for a proskomedia, he can be sure: those whose names are written in them, although invisible to those praying, have already been remembered.
The particles taken out according to the notes of the parishioners are also placed on the paten - next to those taken out of the five liturgical prosphoras. Lying on the paten in this order, they are a symbol of the entire Church of Christ.
About health and peace
The priest’s answer will best illuminate the proskomedia. Archpriest Dimitri explains:
Those who attend church, receiving or buying prosphora, see that it seems to have been pecked. These are traces of the removal of its particles during proskomedia. Typically, notes to this service are submitted about health and repose. And at this service both living and departed Christians are remembered. Let me note by the way: Only baptized Orthodox Christians are remembered. In this ritual they do not pray for people of other faiths, so their names do not need to be included in the note for the proskomedia.
Notes with names should be given in advance. All the crumbs taken out of the prosphora, symbolizing the commemorated souls and those gathered at the paten, after the Divine Liturgy, with a special prayer, are immersed in a cup of wine.
The text of the prayer contains a request to Jesus Christ to cleanse the sins of the Christians mentioned in the notes with His Blood shed for the sins of the whole world. This is considered a bloodless sacrifice and is the highest church commemoration.
Since the proskomedia takes place before the main service, such notes must be submitted long before it begins, preferably the day before, indicating the required date.
When else are they remembered...
You can also submit notes for health and peace to other services. In some churches - each with its own rules - so-called simple and custom notes are practiced. In the first case, the names are read only on the proskomedia. In the second, the same names are heard, in addition to this service, also during mass, as the Liturgy is also called, and prayer.
People of God are remembered on:
It is impossible to say unequivocally which commemoration at which service is better or, so to speak, more effective: in any case, this is prayer, and power church prayer, whenever they sound, is the same.
Many people are often interested and confused by the difference in the amount of donations for different services, in particular very small ones for proskomedia. The significance of the service does not suffer at all from this; as already mentioned, this is the highest degree of remembrance, and it should be accessible to everyone to the maximum extent.
A few words about the prayer service
This service is most often served after the Liturgy, sometimes at any time - as needed.
At the prayer service they pray only for the living. This is a special service where they pray only for the living. You can order it, so to speak, directly: to the Savior, the Mother of God, or one of the especially revered saints.
For example, for the health of a patient, as a rule, they pray to the Great Martyr and Saint Panteleimon; about travelers - St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, etc., which needs to be noted in the note.
Prayer services can be petitionary or thanksgiving. If everything is clear with the first, then the second are obligatory when your prayer is fulfilled.
If a prayer service has been ordered, then the note is read both during the proskomedia in the altar and at the prayer service - already out loud.
Proskomedia and Sorokoust
Sorokoust is a special prayer, and it is performed during 40 Divine Liturgies. If a person is alive, but perhaps ill, a magpie for health is ordered. However, you can pray in this way for any person if you wish him spiritual help.
If a person has died, such a service is held for the repose of his soul. When is the best time to order it?
- For the one who has just passed away, the so-called newly deceased;
- on Memorial Day;
- on your birthday;
- when you just want to remember.
Since this commemoration takes place at the Liturgy, then, naturally, every time a proskomedia is performed at the altar, i.e. the already described bloodless sacrifice is offered for the people included in the note.
The preparatory service before the Liturgy, called proskomedia, is, as already mentioned, its important part, showing the unity of all members of the Church, who are united by the Blood of Christ and faith in Him.
Its importance is very well stated in one book, which tells about the posthumous adventures of the heroine. Every day, when she came to the other world, the bird brought and threw bread, which greatly supported her and her companion.
When the soul was allowed to return to the body, emerging from clinical death, it turned out that at every Liturgy the woman remembered her close girlfriend, and the resulting bread is nothing more than a piece of prosphora taken out at the proskomedia.
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