Before the beginning of the Divine Liturgy, the priest prepares the substance for the celebration of the sacrament of the Eucharist. In the temple, the proskomedia is followed, during which special bread is used.
In the church tradition, prosphora is usually referred to as specially prepared bread used at the proskomedia for the preparation of the future shrine - the Body of Christ. The bread for the future Eucharist has a specific composition: salt, water, and wheat flour; and is made of a certain form: from two component parts, which symbolically reflects the connection between the heavenly and earthly Churches, and also indicates the most important Orthodox doctrinal truth about the two natures of the incarnated Mission (divine and human).
Now, according to the tradition of the Russian Orthodox Church, it is customary to celebrate the Liturgy on five prosphora. In Greece, one large prosphora is often used.
The main prosphora is the lamb prosphora - the one from which the particle is taken out, used directly in the sacrament of the Eucharist. It is removed from the center of the prosphora, while the remaining parts are called antidor. The remaining prosphora are used to remove particles in the prayer memory of the Mother of God (the prosphora is called the Mother of God), saints, angels, as well as in the prayer memory of people, both living and dead.
On the lamb prosphora, a cross is traditionally depicted with special abbreviated inscriptions "IS XC" and "NIKA", which means the triumph of the Lord in overcoming death (the same images and designations can be used on the prosphora, from which particles about the dead and the living are taken out, as well as ranks of saints). On the Mother of God prosphora, the image of the Virgin Mary or letters indicating the identity of the Virgin is depicted on top.
Nine particles are removed from the prosphora in remembrance of people who acquired special divine grace that led to holiness - John the Baptist, prophets, saints, saints, martyrs, righteous, etc. Such a prosphora is called nine-part (nine-part).
Special prosphora are used to commemorate living Orthodox Christians, as well as those who have already completed their earthly journey.
In addition to large prosphora, small loaves are also used on proskomidia. From this type of prosphora on the sides, small particles are obtained with commemoration of the living and the dead. This small prosphora is distributed to parishioners after the service.
