The Confessor’s Tongue for April 19, A. D. 2015 Thomas Sunday, Antipascha; Ven. John of the Ancient Caves In honor of St. Maximus the Confessor, whose tongue and right hand were cut off in an attempt by compromising authorities to silence his uncompromising confession of Christ’s full humanity & divinity. Le On the Artos meaning of the Artos and is revealed in the prayer of The blessing of the Artos is one of the special its blessing (see below). Besides, in this prayer the paschal rites, "in honor and glory and memory of the priest, calling down the blessing of God on the glorious resurrection" of our Lord Jesus Christ. The blessed Artos, asks the Lord to heal any infirmity and Artos is understood to be a Prosphora with an image illness and to grant healing to all who eat of the on it of the cross crowned with thorns or with the Artos. According to the Supplemental Book of Needs image of the resurrection of Christ as signs of victory in monasteries the sanctification of the Artos is done of Christ over death. The word "Artos" is Greek; on the first day of Holy Pascha and is done as follows: translated into Russian it means "bread". "The Artos, which is bread usually with a cross on it The historical origin of the Artos is as follows: prepared for this, is brought to the priest in the the Apostles, who were accustomed to partake a meal sanctuary. After the Prayer before the Ambo and the together with the resurrected Lord (Acts 10:41), after ending of the Divine Liturgy, the Deacon says: "Let His ascension to heaven, remembering His us pray to the Lord", and the clerics: "Lord, have covenantal words: "I am with you always" (Mt. 28:20), mercy" and the priest reads this prayer over it: felt the invisible presence of the Lord through living "O All-powerful God and Almighty Lord, Who faith in their assemblies, but could not see Him with by Thy servant Moses during the Exodus of the carnal eyes. The natural expression of this burning Israelites from Egypt, and the liberation of Thy faith of the disciples to their Teacher and their desire people from the bitter slavery of Pharaoh, didst to have a constant reminder of His abiding with command that a lamb be slain, prefiguring the them, was that at a meal they left an unoccupied Lamb, Thy beloved Son our Lord Jesus Christ, place for Jesus Christ to recline with them, but who voluntarily was slain on the cross for us, placed on the table before that place some bread as if taking away the sins of the whole world, do Thou for Him, and each time after the end of the meal, now also, we humbly pray Thee, look down upon lifting up thanksgiving to God, lifted this bread, this bread and bless and sanctify it. For we Thy saying: "Christ is Risen. servants, in honor and glory and in When the disciples of Jesus Christ went away to commemoration of the glorious Resurrection of various countries for the proclamation of the Gospel, Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom we they whenever possible tried to observe this custom: also have received remission, freedom and release each of the Holy Apostles in whatever country from bondage of the eternal slavery of the enemy founded a new society of followers of Christ and and from the indissoluble bonds of Hades, do when beginning a meal left a place and a fragment of now offer this before Thy Majesty on this bright, bread in honor of the Savior, and after the end of the all-glorious and saving day of Pascha. Grant that meal together with them glorified the risen Lord, we who offer this and kiss it and eat of it become raising up the fragment of bread placed in memory of partakers of Thy heavenly blessing, and by Thy Him. power burn away from us every sickness and What is accepted by the first students of the infirmity, granting health to all. For Thou art the Gospel from the lips of the Apostles and was done by source of blessings, and the Bestower of healing, them daily, that is what the fathers of the Church of and unto Thee we send up glory, to the the following centuries have applied to the feast of Unoriginate Father, with Thine Only- begotten the Resurrection of Christ in order to keep forever Son, and Thine All-holy, Good and Life -creating the apostolic tradition in the Church. In this way this Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages". custom was really kept in the Church and through a Choir: "Amen". number of centuries reached our time. As the "Immediately the priest sprinkles the Artos with Apostles during their assemblies have placed the Holy Water (of Theophany) saying: "This Artos is particle of bread in the place appointed for the Savior blessed and sanctified by the sprinkling of this Holy reminded them of the risen Christ, so, intentionally Water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, the Holy Church even at the present time places an and of the Holy Spirit, Amen", three times. And after Artos on Holy Pascha in the temple in full view of this he goes out and places it on the Analogion, and the faithful to serve as their same reminder of the the people, as they receive the Antidoron, kiss the invisible presence of the risen Lord with us. Thus, Artos". preparing the Artos, the Holy Church imitates the On the day of Pascha and during all Bright Week Apostles and by these blessed loaves remembers the the Artos with an image of the Resurrection of the appearances of the risen Lord to the Apostles. Lord is placed on an Analogion purposely arranged At the same time the Artos reminds us that Jesus either in the sanctuary or in the temple. In Christ by His death on the cross also has become for monasteries after the Liturgy there is a procession to us the rising of the truly living bread. Such is the the refectory with the icon of the Resurrection of Christ, with the Artos, with a lampada or two, with A publication of St. Maximus Orthodox Church, 2026 West Oak, Denton, TX, 76201 (940) 293-3032 The Confessor’s Tongue April 19, 2015; page 2 the ringing of all bells simultaneously, and with the others to hold on to their ascetic labors and not relax singing of "Christ is Risen!". After the meal there is a them, and why he himself throughout his life lifting up of the Artos. At the raising of the Artos, increased his own. the cellarer says: “Christ is Risen!” once; and all King Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes, “To every respond: "Indeed, He is Risen". Then, having signed thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose the Artos cross-wisely, he says: "Let us worship His under heaven.... A time to weep, and a time to laugh, three-day resurrection", and places the Artos on the a time to mourn and a time to dance.... A time to get, Panagiarion (a special vessel ). Then everyone kisses and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast the Artos, singing the ninth ode of the canon of away.... A time to keep silence, and a time to speak...” Pascha: "Shine, shine". After kissing the Artos sing (Ecc 3:1-8). Though this life generally is a time for us the Hypakoe and the Kontakion of Pascha, then to lose our life that we may find it, to give that we comes the Dismissal, and the Artos is then returned may receive, to weep and cultivate repentance so that to the temple, according to the former order, and is we may rejoice in the age to come, yet even this life placed in its proper place in the temple (for details in this fallen world and evil generation has its joys, its see "The Order of the Blessing of the Artos on the rewards, its times or laughter, rest, getting, and day of Holy Pascha in the Ustav and the dancing. The Optina Elders often referred to these Pentecostarion). In parish churches during the cross little relaxations and joys along the way as processions done during Holy Pascha (see about “consolations” sent by God. Such times help us who them below), the Artos is carried around the temple. are weak from breaking under the strain of constant Both on the first day of Pascha and during all Bright effort. Week the Artos with the image of the Resurrection Yet every such consolation and joy in this life is of the Lord is placed on the Analogion in the temple. only relative compared to the joy to come, a foretaste, a glimpse. We cannot live here in rest, The Sayings of St. Anthony the Great 13 relaxation, and meeting the needs of the body, for A hunter in the desert came to find Abba Anthony these pleasures are only a pale reflection of what is to enjoying himself with the brethren and he was shocked. come; the joys here are not the ultimate end. In this Wanting to show him that it was necessary sometimes to life, we get only a foretaste of the Kingdom, not the meet the needs of the brethren, the old man said to him, ‘Put fullness of it. God grants us consolations along our an arrow in your bow and shoot it.’ So he did.