Or as it is also called "whole prosphora". It remains in the temple throughout the entire Bright Week, and then it is broken up and distributed to the faithful. But for a considerable number of those who visit the temple on Easter, it remains unclear what kind of bread can be seen in front of the Royal Doors. Priest Konstantin Shcherbak, senior priest of the church in the name of St. Demetrius of Rostov (the courtyard of the Tikhvin Assumption Monastery in the northern capital), a teacher of liturgy at St. Petersburg theological schools, answers questions about artos and related customs.
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 both at Pascha and at Bright Week. Nevertheless, over time, a tradition has developed: the artos is illuminated at the Paschal Liturgy, the entire Bright Week stands in the Royal Doors and also reminds us of the presence with us in the temple of the Resurrected Christ Himself, who is the Bread of Life. He just commanded us to celebrate the Eucharist, suffered and resurrected - entering the temple, we see the artos and remember this. Also, throughout Bright Week, the artos is taken for the procession. 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 artos depicts the same as on ordinary prosphora - a cross and the inscriptions "IS XC NI KA" (Jesus Christ the Conqueror).
Some confuse the two "church words" artos and antidor. What is important to know?
- Artos is artos, antidor is antidor (smiles - I.L.). When preparing bread for the liturgy, we, with the remembrance of the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross, cut out the central part from the largest prosphora. And what remains - these sidewalls of the prosphora - is called antidoron. And since the antidoron is also included in the liturgical space (the lamb was taken out of it), this is not ordinary bread, but consecrated, and we treat it with special reverence - just like all other prosphora used in the liturgy. In some monasteries there is a tradition to bring the antidoron to the refectory and break it there for eating. Also in the monasteries there is the rite of panagia, when not an antidoron is brought to the refectory, but a 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 praying after Communion - along with a drink, people eat pieces of antidoron and other prosphora used at the Liturgy.
Where to store artos?
- There is no big 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 on a 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 rites, various shrines, including prosphora.
Is there a special prayer for accepting artos?
- Not. There is a popular, let's say, prayer simply for the acceptance of prosphora and holy water. I think that in this prayer the word "prosphora" can be replaced by the word "artos" and pronounce 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 falls ill and wants to support himself with some kind of shrine, then you can eat 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, with tea.
Can artos be stored 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 realm of theology, but from the realm of Orthodox customs. And we know perfectly well that if we want to preserve artos for a long time, then we need to make crackers out of it. Otherwise, he will still be moldy. A miracle, of course, can happen, but experience shows that it will become moldy, because it 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.
Interviewed by Igor LUNEV
Every year on the first day of the bright feast of the Resurrection of Christ, the consecrated artos is sanctified, and on Bright Saturday the consecrated artos is broken up and distributed to the faithful. But do we all know the origin and significance of this rite?
Let's say right away that artos is a great shrine associated with the Resurrection of Christ. Therefore, you need to treat it very reverently and carefully. If this shrine has deteriorated, then it is best to take the pieces of artos to the temple and ask them to be burned in the church oven. In addition, it is worth repenting for a careless attitude towards the shrine. And what else is worth knowing about artos, you will learn in our material.
The meaning of artos in Orthodoxy, the origins of the Orthodox rite
The priests note that, like any consecrated bread, the arthos must be eaten with reverence before any other food. In no case should artos be given a value that it does not have.
Representatives of the Holy Church tell us that the Orthodox rite has ancient roots. It dates back to the time of the apostles. According to the book of the Acts of the Apostles (see Acts 10:41), Jesus Christ, after His Resurrection, often appeared to His disciples and drank and ate with them. When Christ ascended into heaven, the Apostles in their congregations, although they did not see Christ with bodily eyes, nevertheless, with a living faith in the immutability of His promise: I am with you all the days until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20) - they felt His invisible presence between them, and therefore at the meal they left a place in honor of the Risen Savior unoccupied and placed bread against this place as a constant reminder of Him.
After the meal, they thanked God and offered up that part of the bread that was left in honor of Christ with the words: "Christ is risen." This rite of St. The apostles observed even after they went their separate ways preaching the gospel. In whatever country each of them was, during the meal, he considered it his sacred duty to leave a place and bread in honor and memory of the Resurrected Savior of the world. At the end of the meal, this piece of bread was raised as a sign of the presence of Christ.
From the holy Apostles, this pious custom passed to the followers of Christ and the Holy Fathers of the Church was timed to coincide with the feast of the Resurrection of Christ, and passing from one generation to another, has reached our time. Together with the Christian faith, the custom of consecrating and distributing artos to believers came from Greece and became established in our Russian Orthodox Church.
The very word "artos" in Greek means "bread". In imitation of the Apostles, the Church prepares the artos, consecrates it, and places it on the altar as a reminder to the faithful of the appearances of the Risen Christ to the holy Apostles. In the prayer for the consecration of the artos, the Church prays to the Lord God to bless and sanctify this bread ... in honor and glory and in remembrance of the glorious Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and save those who eat from this bread from any illness and disease.
Artos should be kept near the icons or behind them, so that even the crumbs of the holy artos do not fall on the floor, it must be saved in specially sewn linen bags. Artos can be shared with others. At the same time, you must be sure that it will fall into the hands of a person who has received Orthodox baptism.
During the entire Bright Week, the artos is placed either in the altar or on a specially prepared table along with the icon of the Resurrection of Christ. On Bright Saturday, a special prayer is read over the artos to crush it. In this prayer, God's blessing is asked for this bread, and those who partake of it bodily and spiritual blessing and health through the grace and bounty of His philanthropy. After reading this prayer, the artos is crushed and distributed to the faithful.
Translated from Greek as "leavened bread" - consecrated bread common to all members of the Church, otherwise - whole prosphora. Throughout the entire Bright Week, Artos occupies the most prominent place in the temple, along with the icon of the Resurrection of the Lord, and, at the conclusion of the Easter celebrations, is distributed to believers.
Where did the tradition of using artos come from?
The use of artos begins from the very beginning of Christianity. On the fortieth day after the Resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven. The disciples and followers of Christ found comfort in prayerful recollections of the Lord, they remembered His every word, every step and every action. When they came together for a common prayer, they, remembering the Last Supper, partake 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 put bread on this place.
What does artos symbolize?
Imitating the apostles, the first pastors of the Church established on the feast of the Resurrection of Christ to put bread in the temple 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.
An ancient church tradition is also connected with the artos, that the apostles left a piece of bread at the table - a share of the Most Pure Mother of the Lord - as a reminder of constant communion with Her, and after the meal they reverently shared this part among themselves. In monasteries, this custom is called the Chin o Panagia, that is, the remembrance of the Most Holy Mother of the Lord. In parish churches, this bread of the Mother of God is remembered once a year in connection with the fragmentation of the arthos.
How is artos consecrated?
The artos is consecrated by a special prayer, sprinkling with holy water and censing on the first day of Holy Pascha at the Liturgy after the ambo prayer. Artos relies on the solea, against the Royal Doors, on a prepared table or lectern. After the consecration of the artos, the lectern with the artos is placed on the salt in front of the image of the Savior, where the artos lies throughout the Holy Week. It is preserved in the temple throughout the Bright Week on a lectern in front of the iconostasis.
On all days of Bright Week, at the end of the Liturgy, a procession around the church is solemnly performed with the artos. On Saturday of Bright Week, after the ambo prayer, a prayer is read for the fragmentation of the artos, the artos is crushed, and at the end of the Liturgy, when the Cross is kissed, it is distributed to the people as a shrine.
How to store and take Artos?
18.04.2017Artos particles received in the temple are reverently kept by believers as a spiritual cure for illnesses and infirmities. Artos is used in special cases, for example in illness, and always with the words "Christ is risen!".
On Easter night, a special Easter bread is consecrated - or, as it is also called, “whole prosphora”. It remains in the temple throughout the entire Bright Week, and then it is broken up and distributed to the faithful. But for a considerable number of those who visit the temple on Easter, it remains unclear what kind of bread can be seen in front of the Royal Doors. Priest Konstantin Shcherbak, senior priest of the church in the name of St. Demetrius of Rostov (the courtyard of the Tikhvin Assumption Monastery in the northern capital), a teacher of liturgy at St. Petersburg theological schools, answers questions about artos and related customs.
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 both at Pascha and at Bright Week. Nevertheless, over time, a tradition has developed: the artos is illuminated at the Paschal Liturgy, the entire Bright Week stands in the Royal Doors and also reminds us of the presence with us in the temple of the Resurrected Christ Himself, who is the Bread of Life. He just commanded us to celebrate the Eucharist, suffered and resurrected - entering the temple, we see the artos and remember this. Also, throughout Bright Week, the artos is taken for the procession. 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 artos depicts the same as on ordinary prosphora - a cross and the inscriptions "IS XC NI KA" (Jesus Christ the Conqueror).
Some confuse the two "church words" artos and antidor. What is important to know?
- Artos is artos, antidor is antidor (smiles - I.L.). When preparing bread for the liturgy, we, with the remembrance of the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross, cut out the central part from the largest prosphora. And what remains - these sidewalls of the prosphora - is called antidoron. And since the antidoron is also included in the liturgical space (the lamb was taken out of it), this is not ordinary bread, but consecrated, and we treat it with special reverence - just like all other prosphora used in the liturgy. In some monasteries there is a tradition to bring the antidoron to the refectory and break it there for eating. Also in the monasteries there is the rite of panagia, when not an antidoron is brought to the refectory, but a 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 praying after Communion - along with a drink, people eat pieces of antidoron and other prosphora used at the Liturgy.
Where to store artos?
- There is no big 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 on a 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 rites, various shrines, including prosphora.
Is there a special prayer for accepting artos?
- Not. There is a popular, let's say, prayer simply for the acceptance of prosphora and holy water. I think that in this prayer the word "prosphora" can be replaced by the word "artos" and pronounce 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 falls ill and wants to support himself with some kind of shrine, then you can eat 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, with tea.
Can artos be stored 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 realm of theology, but from the realm of Orthodox customs. And we know perfectly well that if we want to preserve artos for a long time, then we need to make crackers out of it. Otherwise, he will still be moldy. A miracle, of course, can happen, but experience shows that it will become moldy, because it 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.
Where did the tradition of using artos come from and how to do it correctly?
What is artos?
The word artos is translated from Greek as "leavened bread" - consecrated bread common to all members of the Church, otherwise - whole prosphora. Throughout the entire Bright Week, Artos occupies the most prominent place in the temple, along with the icon of the Resurrection of the Lord, and, at the conclusion of the Easter celebrations, is distributed to believers. 
Where did the tradition of using artos come from?
The use of artos begins from the very beginning of Christianity. On the fortieth day after the Resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven. The disciples and followers of Christ found comfort in prayerful recollections of the Lord, they remembered His every word, every step and every action. When they came together for a common prayer, they, remembering the Last Supper, partake 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 put bread on this place.
What does artos symbolize?
Imitating the apostles, the first pastors of the Church established on the feast of the Resurrection of Christ to put bread in the temple 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.
An ancient church tradition is also connected with the artos, that the apostles left a piece of bread at the table - a share of the Most Pure Mother of the Lord - as a reminder of constant communion with Her, and after the meal they reverently shared this part among themselves. In monasteries, this custom is called the Chin o Panagia, that is, the remembrance of the Most Holy Mother of the Lord. In parish churches, this bread of the Mother of God is remembered once a year in connection with the fragmentation of the arthos.
How is artos consecrated?
The artos is consecrated by a special prayer, sprinkling with holy water and censing on the first day of Holy Pascha at the Liturgy after the ambo prayer. Artos relies on the solea, against the Royal Doors, on a prepared table or lectern. After the consecration of the artos, the lectern with the artos is placed on the salt in front of the image of the Savior, where the artos lies throughout the Holy Week. It is preserved in the temple throughout the Bright Week on a lectern in front of the iconostasis.
On all days of Bright Week, at the end of the Liturgy, a procession around the church is solemnly performed with the artos. On Saturday of Bright Week, after the ambo prayer, a prayer is read for the fragmentation of the artos, the artos is crushed, and at the end of the Liturgy, when the Cross is kissed, it is distributed to the people as a shrine.
