Prosphoro
Holy Bread for the
Liturgies
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1
teaspoon Salt
2 ¼ teaspoon Yeast
2 ¾
cups warm Water
7 cups Bread Flour
2 - 9" round pans (with at least a 2 inch rim to ensure that the bread is at least 3-4 inches high after baking)
Dissolve
yeast in glass bowl, using ¾ cup warm Water (do
not stir), for 10 minutes
While dissolving . . . Start Preparations
Opening
Prayers:
In the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
O God, be merciful
to me a sinner.
O Lord Jesus
Christ, Son of God, for the sake of the prayer of Thy most pure
Mother, our holy and God-bearing fathers and of all the saints,
have mercy on us. Amen.
Glory to Thee, our
God, glory to Thee.
O Heavenly King, O
Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere present and
fillest all things, Treasury of good thing and Giver of life: Come
and abide in us, and cleanse us of all impurities, and save our
souls, O Good One.
Holy God, Holy
Mighty, Holy Immortal, have Mercy on us. (x3)
Glory to the
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever,
and to the ages of ages. Amen
Most Holy Trinity,
have mercy on us. Lord,
blot out our sins. Master, pardon our iniquities. Holy One, visit
and heal our infirmities for Thy name’s sake.
Lord, have Mercy
(x3)
Glory to the
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever,
and to the ages of ages. Amen
Our Father, Who art
in heaven, hollowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in
heaven. Give us this
day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive
those who trespass against us’ and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
O Lord Jesus Christ, Only-begotten
Son of Thine unoriginate Father, Thou hast said with Thy most pure
lips: For without Me,
ye can do nothing. My Lord, O Lord, in faith having embraced Thy
words, I fall down before Thy goodness; help me, a sinner, to
complete through Thee Thyself this work which I am about to begin,
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Cut
Parchment Paper to fit pans or lightly flour
bottom
Mix 7 cups
Flour and 1 teaspoon Salt together in large
glass bowl
Now . . .
Make a “well”
in flour mixture for yeast and 2 cups warm Water.
Mix
thoroughly
Knead till
dough is not sticky adding small amounts of additional flour if
necessary (about 10 minutes)
Cut dough
in half
Knead each half again (about 15 minutes each) till dough begins to feel
“silky”
Shape dough
into disks to fit pan (not allowing them to touch sides)
Dip Seal
into flour & shake slightly
Make
sign of the Cross with Seal (x3)
Press seal FIRMLY into dough
Remove seal slowly
Toothpick
dough at joints & several times around side of bread
Cover with double towels, and let rise (about 30 minutes)
Toothpick again in same spots before baking
Bake @ 350
degrees (about 45 minutes)
Check after 10 minutes - poking holes along sides where the prosphoro starts to separate around the edges.
Remove from
Oven - Let cool completely
Closing
Prayers:
In the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Thou art the
fullness of all good things, O my Christ; fill my soul with joy
and gladness, and save me, for Thou alone art plenteous in mercy.
Amen.
Family
Prayer:
Dear Lord, this bread that we have baked represents each one of us in
this family and in our congregation.
We are offering ourselves to You, our very life, in humble
obedience and total commitment to You.
We place ourselves on Your holy altar through this bread to
be used by You in any way that You feel will help enlarge Your
kingdom. Accept our
gift and make us worthy to receive the greater gifts that You will
give us when You consecrate this bread and give it back to us as
Your Precious Body. Amen.
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