The Proskomedia (or prothesis or proskomide) is the Office of Oblation celebrated by the priest prior to the Divine Liturgy during which the bread and wine are prepared for the Eucharist. The priest conducts the Office of Oblation behind the Iconostasis at the Table of Oblation (Prothesis, or sometime Proskomide) that is located to the left of the Altar Table. The Table of Oblation represents the cave of Bethlehem where our Lord and Savior was born. Proskomedia, when translated to English, means "preparation."
During the Office of Oblation the offered bread and wine is prepared for use during the Divine Liturgy where the bread is consecrated into the body of Christ and the wine is consecrated into the blood of Christ. The bread, also called prosphora or offering, is baked from pure wheat flour, water, and leavening. The wine is a sweet pure grape wine. Usually, there are five loaves representing our Lord’s miracle of feeding the five thousand men besides women and children with only five loaves of bread (Matt. 14:17-21). The top of each loaf is impressed with a seal.
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