5 Questions You May Have About Artos
On the
Bright Saturday, the believers have an opportunity to get Artos in churches. What is the origin of the
tradition of taking Artos and how should one do this in the right way?
What is
Artos?
The word artos is translated from Greek as “leavened
bread” – the common bread blessed for the all members of the Church, in other
words the communion bread.
During the whole Bright Week, artos is placed on the
most prominent place in the church near the icon of the Resurrection, and when
the Paschal celebrations are over, it is handed out among the believers.
What is
the origin of the tradition of artos consumption?
Artos consumption began with Christianity itself. On
the 40th day after the Resurrection, Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven.
The disciples and followers of Christ found solace in prayerful commemoration of
the Lord, they recalled His every word, every step and every action. When they
gathered for a common prayer, they recalled the last Suppers and partook of
Holy Communion. Preparing a usual meal, they left the first place at the table
for the Lord who sat there invisibly and put a bread on this place.
What does
it symbolize?
Emulating the apostles, the first shepherds of the
Church began to put bread in the church as a visible expression of the idea
that the Savior, who has suffered for us, became the true bread of life. On an
artos we can see a cross with the crown of thorn, but there is no the Crucified
One, which is the symbol of Christ’s victory over death or His Resurrection.
There is another ancient church story connected with
artos. It states that the apostles always left a piece of bread – the part of
the Mother of God – in a reminder of the constant communion with Her. After the
meal, they shared that piece of bread between themselves. In monasteries, this
tradition is called the rite of Panagia, i.e. the commemoration of the Most
Holy Mother of God. In parish churches this bread of the Mother of God is
recalled once a year, when artos is shared.
How is
artos consecrated?
Artos is consecrated with a special prayer,
besprinkling with holy water and censing it at the Liturgy on the first day of Holy Pascha and after the prayer behind the ambo. An artos is placed in front of
the Royal Gates on a table or analogion. After the consecration, the analogion
with the artos is put on the solea before the image of Christ, where artos will
stand during the whole Bright Week. It is kept on the analogion before the
iconostasis for the whole week.
Every day during the Bright Week, cross processions
with artos take place after the liturgy. On Saturday of the Bright week, a
prayer for fragmentation of artos is read. The artos is divided into pieces and
given to people during the kissing of the cross after the Liturgy.
How
should we keep and consume artos?
Faithful people keep the particles of artos they got
in the church as a spiritual remedy from weaknesses and diseases. Artos is
taken in special cases, for example, in case of sickness and always with the
words “Christ is risen!”.
Source: http://www.pravmir.ru/zachem-razdayut-artos-5-voprosov/
