From: Subject: Ipsomata Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2008 10:20:33 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0062_01C8DCF6.6D43BB00" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3198 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0062_01C8DCF6.6D43BB00 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.prosphora.org/page15.html Ipsomata

The Greek Tradition of Ipsomata

Note: We are indebted to St. Vladimir seminarian and former St. = Katherine=20 of Sinai novice Vasili Bassakyros for telling us about this old and = venerable=20 tradition, which he learned during his time on Mt. Sinai and continues = at home=20 parish of Three Hierarchs in Brooklyn, NY.

Monastic = Practice

At the close of every monastery meal, the priest vests = in his=20 exorassa and stole. He lights a small hand censor (not one with chains, = but the=20 type that sits or it held by a handle as we use at home) and places = incense in=20 it. Then he pours wine into a small bowl and places it on a tray with = pieces of=20 prosphora blessed at the liturgy. The monks rise from their seats and = begin to=20 sing the troparion of the day. While another monk holds the censor and = walks=20 behind the priest, the priest offers the tray to the brethren. Each monk = takes=20 one piece of bread in his right hand and dips it in the wine. As the = priest=20 passes, the monk with the censor approaches, and the monk then makes the = sign of=20 the cross over the censor and eats the bread. Then the priest says the=20 benediction and the monks go to their obediances.

According to the brethren of Mt. Sinai, this is the = original=20 form of communion, taking its place at the end of the "Agape meal." = While the=20 Eucharist practice we have now continued to develop within the Liturgy, = the=20 monks never gave up the practice of what later became known as ipsoma. = Their=20 only modification was drop the consecration prayers over the bread and = wine. The=20 wine is not blessed, and the bread used is blessed like antidoron. Never = are the=20 actual Body and Blood ever used in this rite.

Parish Practice

Ipsomata are distributed to faithful members whose = nameday is=20 being celebrated at a Divine Liturgy. Each ipsomata is a cube of blessed = bread,=20 dipped in wine and divided into four pieces. A piece is eaten every = morning=20 (before breakfast) for four days (or three if the first is eaten = immediately=20 after Communion).

How do you make Ipsomata?

When the priest cuts and removes the Lamb from the = loaf of=20 prosphora and finishes the commemorations, one of the altar servers = takes the=20 loaf away from the prothesis table to where the antidoron is = cut.=20
Carefully, the server cuts 1" - 1 1/2" cubes of = bread from=20 the bottom of the prosphora, so that each cube has a bottom side of = crust. If=20 the cube has a top crust, it should be trimmed off so that only the = bottom=20 crust remains.=20
Placing the cubes crust-down on the cutting board, = the server=20 cuts each cube cross-wise from the top, following the diagram=20 below. He is careful not to cut through the crust, so that = each cube=20 remains held together by the bottom crust.

Once all the cubes are cut, the server pours = unconsecrated=20 wine into a bowl.=20
Picking each cube up and holding it by the crust, = the server=20 quickly dips the top end of the cube (opposite the crust) into the = bowl, then=20 sets it onto a tray crust-down. The wine will seep down through the = cube even=20 to the crust. he must be very careful not to completely submerge the = cube or=20 oversaturate the cube, otherwise it will turn to mush. The goal is = dampening,=20 not soaking.=20
Once all of the cubes are moistened, the tray is = set aside=20 until after the anaphora.=20
Once the priest or bishop has said the anaphora, = the ipsomata=20 tray (along with the antidoron) is brought out by the servers and is = blessed=20 over the consecrated Holy Gifts.=20
The ipsomata are then distributed after Communion = to everyone=20 whose nameday has been celebrated in the Liturgy.

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