Father bless! Thank you so much for this truly helpful video. It improved my prosphora tons. I've watched it 5-7 times, and will review it every time I bake. For those of you who, like me, can't afford that mixer, I do the mixing/kneading by hand. Works just as well. Push that seal, bakers!
Dear Father George, I loved your video! I am a bread fanatic and this is the coolest thing I have seen in a while. I ordered a few of your artos stamps to use in my bread classes I teach. You have a really interesting take on the mechanics of ancient bread making. I love your website. I would love to pick your brain on this someday. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I am going to try and make a few non religious stamps of my own, but I find it is always best to go to the source first.
I've been baking for 30 yrs and some times things worked out . - used the HOT WATER IDEA to do my Paskal artos this year - will see how it turned out. I'm familiar with paska recepies that used the hot water - it produces a fine crumb - am always amazed how the Russian monastic bakeries produce such perfect a product. - may do one more batch for the altar if I have time - curious to see how it comes out - for now I've done enough to get thru holy week and paska - thanks for the tutorial! ( with out too much Orthodx Voodoo)
Thank you for your reply, personally I use an unofficial (?) typikon used by monks in Mt. Athos. I would also want to add that priests in Greece don’t use for the holy communion bread that was made with dry yeast, they put those in the baskets. One must create yeast from dough, it’s a weeklong procedure that makes the bread a little sour. I hope to find the time to make a similar video with Mt Athos-Byzantine style prosphora.
What a fantastic video on prosphora making!! Thank you and God bless you, Father George. Where did you get that beautiful seal? It's the most perfect Slavic style one I have ever seen
Very helpful video. It leaves out the prosforo baking ritual though. Kneading by hand while saying the “Jesus Prayer” is obligatory.You must also light insence and a candle while kneading.
I read in book (in romanian linguage) Treaty-Tom-1 of St.-Simeon-of-Thessaloniki in chapters 87 and 88 that: Prosphora must be SHAPED AS A CROSS not circle like to romano-catholic „prosphora”=osie.
I am from India, and although there are many churches ( both Catholic and Orthodox) no one church uses the hindu ragas or something, and these churches are strongly following the Syrian Liturgy ( east and west) and also Latin Church is also present, but no one uses the hindu chants, but a different one inspired by the syrian and Indian tradition. Also this chant is not in any way resembling the Hindu chants(i.e., the North Indian one.( the christian churches are highly populated in South India , especially in the states of Kerala.)
No, it isn't: in the Byzantine era, prosphora was obtained from 'prison bakeries'. There was not much prayer going on there... and they used their feet to knead the dough. You can pray, but if you look at the Typikon and the service books, no mention is made of how the bread is to be prepared.
@thatUkrainianguy - it also isn't 'traditional' to use flour that isn't ground with stones, or yeast that comes from a package, etc. Really, a toothpick is no different from any other modern implement we use without thinking. Sure, a needle probably was used because it was available and small enough to do the job, but I have a hard time believing that God cares whether you use a needle or a toothpick (unless it is a 'used' toothpick, in which case I would object!). I guess everyone has hangups.
@Menechem John 6, Justin Martyr, and Ignatius of Antioch strongly beg to differ with you on the last point. And what if Christ instituted the eating and drinking of His body and blood? What's wrong with that? Are you afraid to obey your Lord and Master? Don't be silly. Eating His Body and Blood makes you a part of Him, not the other way around. It shows you will obey Him, even in small things. But you are right that Western Rites use unleavened bread.
@FatherYousuf Western rite Orthodoxy recieves communion through intinction with an unleavened wafer. Furthermore what Yeshua instituted was a memorial (the Gospels, 1 Corinthians 10-11, and Hebrews 9-10), with Matzah and wine as it was Passover. HE DID NOT INSTITUTE CANNIBOLISM!
