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Holy Seal for Qurban (Holy Bread) for Holy Eucharist and the Antidoron
| Holy Eucharist - Consecrated Leavened Qurban (Holy Bread) | |||||||||
| Holy God Jesus Christ |
Vespers Great and Holy Fri. |
Holy Mystery |
Consecration Transubstantiation |
Receive Prayers |
Receive Procedures |
Divine Body Thurs. after 1st Sun. after Pentecost |
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| Antidoron - Blessed Leavened Qurban (Holy Bread) | |||||||||
| Antidoron | Divine Liturgy - Kissing the cross and receiving the Antidoron | Memorial Service (Jennaz with the "Evlogitaria of the Dead") | |||||||
| Leavened Qurban (Holy Bread) | |||||||||
| Qurban Holy Bread |
Holy Seal | Holy Seal Cut particles Arrangement |
Prothesis (Preparation) |
Prothesis Text Lamb Particle |
Prothesis Text Theotokos Particle |
Prothesis Text Angels Saints Particles |
Prothesis Text Living Particles |
Prothesis Text Dead Particles |
Prothesis Text Holy Eucharist Particles |
| Recipes | Recipe Newton 1 |
Recipe Newton 2 |
Recipe St. Joseph Church |
Recipe Traditional |
Recipe Hints | Recipe Ingredients |
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The Holy Seal for Qurban (Holy Bread) for Holy Eucharist and the Antidoron is almost six inches in diameter. The Holy Seal has two sides. The large side is almost six inches in diameter. The small side is three and one-quarter inches in diameter.
| Item | Large side | Small side |
|---|---|---|
| Number squares | Nine | One |
| "The Lamb" IE|XE NI|KA or IC|XC NI|KA IE XE NI KA or IC XC NI KA IEXE NIKA or ICXC NIKA | Center square | Only square |
| Bread meant for | Divine Liturgy | Family |
Diagrams of the Nine Squares on the Large Size of the Holy Seal
A diagram of the Holy Seal is within the Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom, page 17, published by Eparchy of Newton (Our Lady of the Annunciation (Al Bisharah) in Roslindale, Massachusetts), United States, 2009
| On the Holy Seal for the qurban facing upwards, the nine squares are in this arrangement. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rays Can be Holy Communion for the people or Antidoron | small IE|XE NI|KA or IC|XC NI|KA Particles for the Living But, if not all of the square is required for the living, can be Holy Communion for the people or Antidoron 4th square cut | Rays Can be Holy Communion for the people or Antidoron |
| Nine small triangles angels, prophets, apostles, pontiffs and doctors, martyrs, fathers, wonderworkers, ancestors of God (Joachim and Anne) and saints, and the saint whose Liturgy is being celebrated 3th square cut |
"The Lamb" or IE|XE NI|KA or IC|XC NI|KA Holy Communion for the clergy But, if not all of "The Lamb" is required for the clergy, particles from it may be Holy Communion to the people. 1st square cut |
One large triangle The Theotokos 2nd square cut |
| Rays Can be Holy Communion for the people or Antidoron | Small IE|XE NI|KA or IC|XC NI|KA Particles for the Dead But, if not all of the square is required for the dead, can be Holy Communion for the people or Antidoron 5th square cut | Rays Can be Holy Communion or Antidoron |
| On the Qurban facing upwards, the nine squares on the large side are in this arrangement. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rays Can be Holy Communion for the people or Antidoron | Small IE|XE NI|KA or IC|XC NI|KA Particles for the Living But, if not all of the square is required for the living, can be Holy Communion for the people or Antidoron | Rays Can be Holy Communion for the people or Antidoron |
| On "The Lamb's" right hand One large triangle The Theotokos |
"The Lamb" or IE|XE NI|KA or IC|XC NI|KA Holy Communion for the clergy But, if not all of "The Lamb" is required for the clergy, particles from it may be Holy Communion to the people. | On "The Lamb's" left hand Nine small triangles angels, prophets, apostles, pontiffs and doctors, martyrs, fathers, wonderworkers, ancestors of God (Joachim and Anne) and saints, and the saint whose Liturgy is being celebrated |
| Rays Can be Holy Communion for the people or Antidoron | Small IE|XE NI|KA or IC|XC NI|KA Particles for the Dead But, if not all of the square is required for the dead, can be Holy Communion for the people or Antidoron | Rays Can be Holy Communion or Antidoron |
Large IE|XE NI|KA or IC|XC NI|KA Square - "The Lamb" is in the center on the Holy Seal and on the Qurban.
Letters
The center square with the IE|XE NI|KA or IC|XC NI|KA impression is symbolic of Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Therefore, the center square is called "The Lamb". "The Lamb" is cut out of the qurban with the "Lance". Next, "The Lamb" is pierced by the "Lance".
The words written in Greek, transliteration, Latinized and Anglicized.
The center square has four quadrants. In each of the quadrants, there are two Greek letters. These letters are separated by a cross.
| Language/form of letters | Letters |
| Greek using Greek letters | "IE" (Iota and Sigma), "XE" (Chi and Sigma), "NI", and "KA" |
| Anglicized Greek using English letters | "IC" (Iota and Sigma), "XC" (Chi and Sigma), "NI", and "KA" |
The letters "IE|XE" or "IC|XC" (with the bar above them) is the Greek contraction/abbreviation for Jesus Christ.
| Name | Contraction/abbreviation | Contraction/abbreviation letters | Word letters |
| Iêsous (Jesus) | "IE" or "IC" | Iota and Sigma. | Ioto, Epsilon, Sigma, Omicron, Upsilon, and Sigma. |
| Christos/Kristos (Christ) | "XE" or "XC" | Chi and Sigma. | Chi, Rho, Iota, Simga, Tau, Omicron, and Sigma. |
These letters appear as:
| IE|XE ------- NI|KA |
IC|XC ------- NI|KA |
 |
 |
Bar above the Letters
In Greek, the bar above the letters means a contraction/abbreviation.
(On icons of Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ, often the "IE" or "IC" (with the bar above them) is on the left of Him and the "XE" or "XC" (with the bar above them) is on the right of Him.)
Translation
The word "NIKA" is the Greek word for "conquers" or the verb for "victory". A possible meaning is "is victorious". The word "nike" is the name of the Greek god of victory.
The usual literal translation of "IE|XE NI|KA" or "IC|XC NI|KA" is "Jesus Christ conquers". The translation is sometimes "Jesus Christ is victorious". What Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ, conquered / was victorious over was death on Feasts of Feasts Holy and Glorious Pascha.
Name of the Holy Seal
The Holy Seal is sometimes called the "IE|XE NIKA" or "IC|XC NIKA" Stamp or IE XE NI KA or IC XC NI KA Stamp.
Prothesis or Ceremony of Preparation of the Oblations before the Divine Liturgy
During the Prothesis or Ceremony of Preparation of the Oblations before the beginning of the Divine Liturgy, the priest prays and cuts the Qurban based on the nine squares of the large side of the Holy Seal impression.
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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), Shirley (Shirley Jean Liles Buck), and Donna (Donna Bertha Liles Campbell). Bucky fell asleep in
the Lord on Dec. 12, 2000, Shirley fell asleep in the Lord on Nov. 8, 2001, and Donna fell asleep in the Lord on March 9, 2020.
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-giving Spirit, now and always and for ages upon ages. Amen.
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Last Updated: Wednesday, June 03, 2020, 16:48:06, CDT
The current date and time is: Friday, April 19, 2024, 13:53:36, CDT or Friday, April 19, 2024, 18:53:36, GMT