The Lamb ( el, άμνος, translit=amnos; cu, Агнецъ, translit=agnets) is the square portion of bread cut from the

prosphora A prosphoron ( el, πρόσφορον, ''offering'') is a small loaf of leavened bread used in Orthodox Christian and Greek Catholic (Byzantine) liturgies. The plural form is ''prosphora'' (). The term originally meant any offering made to a ...

in the

Liturgy of Preparation The Liturgy of Preparation, also Prothesis ( grc-gre, Πρόθεσις, , a setting forth) or Proskomedia ( 'an offering, an oblation'), is the name given in the Eastern Orthodox Churchand those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantin ...

at the

Divine Liturgy Divine Liturgy ( grc-gre, Θεία Λειτουργία, Theia Leitourgia) or Holy Liturgy is the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine Rite, developed from the Antiochene Rite of Christian liturgy which is that of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of ...

in the

Eastern Orthodox Eastern Orthodoxy, also known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholicism and Protestantism. Like the Pentarchy of the first millennium, the mainstream (or " canonical ...

and

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

churches. The Lamb is cut from a specially prepared loaf of leavened bread and placed in the center of the diskos. The loaf, called a prosphoron, has had stamped in the top of its dough the seal of the Greek letters IC, XC, and NIKA, "Jesus Christ conquers", divided by a

Greek cross The Christian cross, with or without a figure of Christ included, is the main religious symbol of Christianity. A cross with a figure of Christ affixed to it is termed a ''crucifix'' and the figure is often referred to as the ''corpus'' (La ...

, and the portion by the seal is cutout as the Lamb. The loaf must be made only from the finest flour, yeast, salt and water. It is formed in two layers to symbolize the

hypostatic union ''Hypostatic union'' (from the Greek: ''hypóstasis'', "sediment, foundation, substance, subsistence") is a technical term in Christian theology employed in mainstream Christology to describe the union of Christ's humanity and divinity in one h ...

Liturgy of Preparation

The priest cuts the Lamb from the prosphoron using a liturgical knife called a "

spear A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head. The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with fire hardened spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fasten ...

", with a blade shaped like a

point to recall the spear used at the crucifixion to pierce Jesus' side. Cutting along each edge, and removing the Lamb, he recites a phrase from : *on the right side: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter." *on the left side: "And as a spotless lamb before His shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth." *at the top: "In his humiliation his judgement was taken away." *at the bottom: "And who shall declare His generation?" *as he removes the Lamb from the prosphoron: "For His life is taken up from the earth." In () St. Philip interprets these as referring to the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. He then places the Lamb face down on the seal, and cuts it cross-wise almost all the way through, leaving it connected as one piece by the seal. This will facilitate the fraction after the anaphora. As he makes these cuts, he says, "Sacrificed is the Lamb of God Who taketh away the sins of the world, for the life of the world, and the salvation thereof." He then stands the Lamb upright again, and pierces it with the tip of the spear on its right (the priest's left) below the seal, saying, "One of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and straightway there came forth blood and water. And he that saw it bare witness, and his witness is true." ({{bibleverse, , John, 19:34-35, KJV) There are other particles also cut from prosphora as part of the Liturgy of Preparation. These commemorate the Theotokos, nine ranks of saints, the living, and the departed. These smaller particles are arranged around the Lamb on the diskos. A metal frame, the ''asterisk'' or star-cover, is placed over the diskos to support the small veil with which it is covered. This veil remains in place until the diskos is set upon the altar. The priest will then cense the aër and place it over both the diskos and chalice, where it will remain until just prior to the

Great Entrance In Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic churches, an entrance is a procession during which the clergy enter into the sanctuary through the Holy Doors. The origin of these entrances goes back to the early church, when the liturgical books and s ...

, when the bread and wine are carried to the

Holy Table An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in paganism ...

for the consecration.

Communion

At the anaphora only the Lamb is actually consecrated; the other particles are considered to remain only bread. When it comes time for Communion, the priest will divide the Lamb into four portions, breaking it along the cuts in the underside made during the Liturgy of Preparation. The deacon will say, "Break, Master, the Holy Bread." And, as he breaks it, the priest says, "Broken and distributed is the Lamb of God; broken, but not disunited; ever eaten, yet never consumed; sanctifying all who partake thereof." He then puts the four portions of the Lamb on the rim of the diskos in the form of a cross. They remain in this arrangement only briefly. The upper portion (that has IC on the seal) is placed whole in the Chalice to signify the oneness of Christ. The deacon says, "Fill, Master, the Holy Cup." As he places the particle in the Chalice, the priest says, "The fullness of the Holy Spirit." The lower portion, (with XC on the seal) is cut into smaller particles with which the clergy are communicated. The portions on the left and right (with NI and KA, respectively) are cut into much smaller particles. These are placed into the chalice and used to communicate the faithful.

Presanctified Liturgy

During Great Lent it is not permitted to celebrate the Divine Liturgy on weekdays and, therefore, on certain weekdays thereof and on the first three days of

Holy Week Holy Week ( la, Hebdomada Sancta or , ; grc, Ἁγία καὶ Μεγάλη Ἑβδομάς, translit=Hagia kai Megale Hebdomas, lit=Holy and Great Week) is the most sacred week in the liturgical year in Christianity. In Eastern Churches, w ...

, communion is given from Lambs consecrated on the previous Sunday at the

Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is a Byzantine Rite liturgical service which is performed on the weekdays of Great Lent wherein communion is received from Gifts (the Body and Blood of Christ) that are sanctified (consecrated) in advance, ...

External links

Photo of the Lamb on the Diskos during prothesis
Eastern Christian liturgical objects

Liturgy of Preparation

Communion

Presanctified Liturgy

See also

External links