I helped to bake Communion bread this week.
This time I was off in a corner by myself, near the icon of famous prosphora makers Sts. Spyridon and Nicodemus of the Kiev Caves. We also have a photo of some monk bakers, and the Prayer before baking The Bread of Offering.
Prayer Before Making Prosphora
O Lord Jesus Christ, only begotten Son
of the Eternal Father,
who has said with Thy most pure lips:
Without Me you can do nothing.
O Lord, my Lord,
with faith I accept your words;
help me a sinner
to prepare the Bread of Offering,
that the works of my hands
may be acceptable at Thy Holy Table
and may become
through the operation of Thy Holy Spirit
the communion of Thy Most Pure Body
for me and for all Thy people.
In the Name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Three other bakers were making about 200 smaller loaves in the middle of the kitchen. While we are working the dough and forming the loaves, we pray the Jesus Prayer silently.
After stamping the top part, I sealed together with water the two halves, representing the two natures of Christ, human and divine, and joined them into one loaf.
Each of these loaves called “Lambs” will be used for a Sunday Liturgy. We wrap the extras tightly and freeze them. I had to leave early and let other bakers take the bread out of the oven, but this is what I hope it looked like when baked.
I would like to bake communion bread. I think our church gets its bread from a local bakery, and it’s delicious, but I like the idea of congregants being in charge of the bread and saying the Jesus prayer. Sometimes I say the Jesus prayer on my morning walks and it always changes the way I look at the trees and the sky.
xofrances
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Love the prayer to bake bread by! When do we pray? Always!
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So perfectly lovely, that communion bread!
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The bread is so beautiful. I love that you craft it yourselves with love. I like the two halves and their union.
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Women baked bread for Jesus when he walked in the flesh….you are baking bread for Jesus…beautiful.
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