(Part III in a series of posts encouraging reverence of the Holy things)
Along with the Holy Table, there are two other tables in the Holy Place. The table to the left of the Holy Table (under the icon of the Holy Trinity in our temple) is the called the Table of Prothesis (“placing before/offering”), Table of Proskomedia (“offering”) or Table of Offering/Oblation in english. Let’s call it the Table of Oblation (“offering” a sacrifice to God in this context) for simplicity’s sake. This was originally a whole separate room attached to the temple. The faithful would bring the bread they would bake as an oblation for the Divine Liturgy. The deacon would then choose the most perfect loaf or loaves (5 in our slavic tradition) and these would be used for the Divine Liturgy. This Table of Oblation is now where the priest and deacon prepare the bread and wine (with prayers, cuts and pours) to be carried to the Holy Table during the Great Entrance, and then changed into the Body and Blood of Christ.
Sunday, November 20 –
