PROSFORON:  OUR OFFERING TO GOD

 

OPENING PRAYER:

Let us Pray to the Lord. Lord Have Mercy.
Dear Lord, this bread that we are baking represents each one of us. We are offering ourselves to You, our very life, in humble obedience and total commitment to You. We place ourselves on Your holy altar through this bread to be used by You in any way that You feel will help enlarge Your kingdom. Accept our gift and make us worthy to receive the greater gift that You will give us when You consecrate this bread and give it back to us as Your Precious Body.

Amen

Q. What you know about Prosforon?

A: Our Lord gives us all things. He gives us wheat, water and wine. We take things from the earth that He gives us and offer them back to God. We take part of the possessions that God has given us and return them to Him.

Q: Why is it important that we bake this bread for God?

A: Think about when you were little and drew a picture for your parents. It didn’t cost you a lot of money. It wasn’t something they needed. But it meant a lot to them because you made it and it is a way to show them that you love them. Making this bread shows God that you love him and that you are giving him not just this bread but your life as a Christian. Making this bread is an awesome responsibility. We need to make the bread prayerfully. To prepare ourselves, we need to begin with prayer and continue praying as we are preparing the Prosforon.

 As we work on the bread, we are going to continue to pray by singing hymns of the church, listening to chanting music and reading from the bible.

 

 

Ingredients:

3 cups  warm water (110° to 115° F.)

9 cups  all-purpose flour (unsifted)

3 tablespoons sugar (optional)

3 teaspoons salt

1 package dry yeast or 2 ¼ teaspoons dry yeast

Dissolve yeast in warm water with salt and sugar then set aside for five (5) minutes. Make depression in the flour and add yeast mixture and remaining ingredients.  Knead well until dough is smooth and air bubbles disappear; at least 10 min.  Allow to rest until dough is double in size; around 1 ½ to 2 hours.  Split the dough into 4 equal parts.  Flatten each dough ball with a rolling pin in flour on a surface until all air pockets are released.  Place 2 dough rounds (one on top of each other) on a floured (but not greased) round baking pan or pie pan.  Press the religious seal firmly into the dough center and pull up to remove.  Poke the seal in all of the right angle corners for baking.  Let dough rise in warm draft free place for ½ hour to 45 min until double in size.  Bake at 350° preheated oven until golden brown, about 45 min to 1 hour. Makes 2 loaves.

The Prosforon Seal

The square piece in the center is the piece that will be changed into the Body of Christ; it is called the Lamb of God. It has the letter ICXC NIKA. Does anyone know what this means? (Jesus Christ Conquers)

See the large triangular piece. Does anyone know what this is? (This represents the Virgin Mary)

See the nine smaller triangles? Does anyone know what these represent? (These pieces commemorate the angels, prophets, apostles and saints of the church.)

During a service before liturgy starts, the priest breaks the bread and the seal and prays for the different people represented by the seal; the Theotokos, the prophets, angels… The priest also prays for all those living whose names have been submitted to him. Then he prays for all those who have passed away whose names have been submitted to him. Even if they are Orthodox Christians or not.

CLOSING PRAYER:

O God, our God, You sent the heavenly Bread, the food for the whole world, our Lord and God Jesus Christ, as Savior, Redeemer, and Benefactor, to bless us and sanctify us. Do bless this offering and accept it upon Your heavenly altar. As a good and loving God remember those who brought it and those for whom it was brought. Keep us blameless in the celebration of Your divine Mysteries. For sanctified and glorified is Your most honorable and majestic name, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen

 

 

If you need to purchase a Prosforon Seal, click here