On the Saturday of Bright Week and on the day of the commemoration of the translation of the relics of St. Job, Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the church of our parish. The service was led by the rector of the parish, Archpriest Vadim Zakrevsky.
In his address to the parishioners, Father Vadim dwelt on the meaning of the artos, the history of its origin, and advice on how it should be treated, stored, and when it should be consumed. The rector emphasized that this tradition began in ancient times, when the apostles, during the meal, left a place for the Savior. Such a tradition also existed with regard to the Mother of God, for whom a place was also left at the table and bread was left.
Artos, in direct translation, means “leavened bread.” Father Vadim also emphasized that on the artos, as a rule, there is an image of the Cross, and the artos is a testimony that the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ has already taken place not only spiritually, but also bodily. This emphasizes the full holiness and significance of the artos for us, which heals us spiritually and bodily, and it should be treated as the Body of the Savior. Regarding the tradition of leaving a place at the table for the Mother of God, this is still preserved today in some monasteries, as Father Vadim emphasized, and bears the name of the rite of the Panagia.
