Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center Qurban for Holy Eucharist and the Antidoron

Qurban is a flat, round bread about 6 to 8 inches in diameter. Qurban can be leavened or unleavened. Qurban is still the basic traditional bread in the area where Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ lived.

Qurban is probably the bread that Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ ate daily.
At a Passover meal during the time of Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ, an unleavened version of this bread was used. The Mystical Supper (Last Supper) of Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ is understood as a Passover meal. If the The Mystical Supper (Last Supper) was a Passover meal, an unleavened version of Qurban was used.

Leavened Bread

The Qurban used for Holy Eucharist and the Antidoron is leavened. Leavened Qurban is used for Holy Eucharist because it symbolizes the living, risen Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ, given to us in the Mystical Supper.

Holy Seal

The Qurban must have a clear Holy Seal or (IC|XC NIKA Stamp) impression.

During the Ceremony of Preparation of the Oblations or Prothesis before the Divine Liturgy, the priest prays and cuts the Qurban based on the nine squares of the large side of the Holy Seal impression.

Qurban is used for:

Holy Eucharist	Antidoron
Bread Consecrated during Divine Liturgy	Bread blessed during Divine Liturgy
At the Consecration, Qurban is changed into the Body and Blood of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ under the appearance of Bread (transsubstantiation).	After the Consecration, Qurban is blessed.
Used during the Divine Liturgy for Holy Eucharist	ºImmediately following the Divine Liturgy given to the people. ºUsed during the Memorial Service for the people who have fallen asleep in the Lord.

Number of Loaves Made

Traditionally five loaves are made to represent the two fish and five loaves that Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ blessed to feed the crowd.

Two loaves are large for Holy Eucharist
Three loaves are small for the Antidoron and for family.

Leavened or Unleavened?

Byzantine Christians (Orthodox and Catholic) use leavened bread for Holy Eucharist because it symbolizes the living, risen Christ, given to us in the Mystical Supper.

Latin Catholics use unleavened bread because they understand the Last Supper as a Passover meal, when unleavened bread would be used.

Name

"Qurban" is sometimes called "Holy Bread" or "Blesssed Bread".
"Qurban" translated into Greek is "Prosphora" or "Prosphoron". These words mean "offering".
"Qurban" is pronounced with the "Q" is silent.

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Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center
Martha Liles
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Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center is dedicated to my cousins: Bucky (Richard C. Liles) and Shirley (Shirley Jean Liles Buck). Bucky fell asleep in the Lord on Dec. 12, 2000 and Shirley fell asleep in the Lord on Nov. 8, 2001.
O God of all spirits and of all flesh, who have destroyed death, overcome the devil, and given life to the world: grant, O Lord, to the souls of your servants Bucky and Shirley, who has departed from this life, that it may rest in a place of light, in a place of happiness, in a place of peace, where there is no pain, no grief, no sighing. And since You are a gracious God and the Lover of Mankind, forgive him/her every sin he/she has committed by thought, or word, or deed, for there is not a man who lives and does not sin : You alone are without sin, your righteousness is everlasting, and your word is true. You are the Resurrection and the Life, and the repose of your departed servants Bucky and Shirley. O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, together with your eternal Father and your all-holy, good and life-givng Spirit, now and always and for ages upon ages. Amen.

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