According to the current statute of the Orthodox Greek-Russian Church, the ecclesiastical use of the artos consists of the following. In accordance with the sign of Pascha, which unites the event of the death and resurrection of the Lord, either a cross crowned with thorns is inscribed on the artos, as a sign of Christ's victory over death, or an image of the Resurrection of Christ. Prepared in this way, it is brought to the altar on the very first day of Passover, and here on the altar it is placed in a special vessel called "panagiar". On the same day, after the ambo prayer, it is consecrated with the reading of the established prayer and sprinkling with holy water. Throughout Bright Week, the artos lies either in the altar or in the church on an analogion, specially built for this purpose, together with the icon of the Resurrection of Christ. During the procession of the cross, which is supposed to be held every day of Bright Week after Matins, but in parish churches it usually takes place after the Liturgy, with banners, images of the Resurrection of the Lord, the Mother of God, and the artos are carried around the church. In the monasteries, every day of Bright Week, in addition, the artos is brought in a solemn procession, with the icon of the Resurrection of Christ, lampadas, while all the bells are ringing and while singing "Christ is Risen", to the fraternal meal and is placed here on a specially prepared analogion. After the meal, there is the so-called elevation of the artos. During the elevation of the artos, the cellar says "Christ is risen" once; Then, making the sign of the artos in the form of a cross, he says: "We worship His Resurrection on the three days," and places the artos on the panagiar. Then everyone comes to the lectern on which the artos was placed and kisses the last one. After that, the artos, with the same solemnity with which it was brought to the refectory, is carried back to the church. On the last day of Bright Week, Saturday, the artos is solemnly broken after the Liturgy. In monasteries, this fragmentation is usually carried out in the following order: after the Liturgy, the artos is brought to the refectory, here they sing three times: "Christ is risen!", the Lord's Prayer is read, and then the priest pronounces a special prayer, and the broken artos is eaten by the brethren before the meal. "But," says the additional service book, "the priest can break the artos at the Liturgy according to the prayer before the ambo and distribute it to the faithful instead of the antidoron. Artos should not be kept all year round for any superstition." As for the historical origin of the rite with the artos in the Orthodox Church, it is necessary to mention this in connection with the history of the so-called "rite of the panagia". Panagia from Greek means "all-holy" or "most holy", which name is usually attached to the name of the Mother of God. The "rite of the panagia" is understood as the rite of exalting a special bread in the monastery refectory, after the table, in honor of the Mother of God. About the origin of this rite this is what our following psalter says. The Lord Jesus Christ, before His sufferings, had a meal with His disciples at the Last Supper, when He instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist, and after His resurrection He appeared more than once to bless their meal and even ate food with them. In remembrance of this, the Apostles had the custom of leaving the middle place at the table for the idle and placing a portion of the bread before it, as if for the Lord present among them. After the meal, they lifted up this bread with prayer and thanksgiving, saying: "Glory to Thee, O our God, glory to Thee! Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit! Great is the name of the Holy Trinity! After the day of the Ascension of the Lord, they said: "Great is the name of the Holy Trinity! Lord Jesus Christ, help us!" On the third day after the dormition of the Mother of God, when they, having been miraculously gathered together in one place for Her burial, began after the meal to make the usual offering of bread in honor of the Lord, and just now said: "Great is the name..." - suddenly the Mother of God appeared on a cloud with angels and said: "Rejoice, I am with you always." The disciples were amazed at such a miracle and instead of "Lord Jesus Christ...", they cried out: "Most Holy Mother of God, help us!" Then they went to the tomb, and not finding Her all-pure body in it, they were convinced of Her taking Her body with Her body to heaven. In remembrance of this, the "rite of the panagia" is usually performed at meals in monasteries; during Paschal Week, this rite receives its changes and is the rite of exaltation of the artos.

Why are there greenery and flowers in churches and in the hands of believers on the day of Pentecost?

Remembering the event of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, we have the custom of decorating the churches of God and our homes with verdant herbs and flowers. And we ourselves stand in the temple of God, having in our hands verdant branches of trees and fragrant flowers. And everywhere in the streets, squares and houses, we see the same decoration with flowers and tree branches. Where does this custom come from? Is it possible that this custom has been established and observed to this day in our Church without reason? No, nothing is done in our Orthodox Church without a reason. If you think about it and delve deeper into this pious custom, it has a deep meaning and significance. It is not without reason that it has been established for a long time and has been conducted in our Church since ancient times, because in our Church there is no custom that would not have any meaning and significance.

The custom of adorning our churches and dwellings on the feast of Pentecost is taken from the example of the patriarchal Church. For example, Abraham at the oak of Mamre, seeing three strangers, invites them to rest and offers them a hearty treat. According to the understanding of the divinely wise fathers, in the person of the three pilgrims the Lord Himself appeared to Abraham in three persons. Hence the ancient custom of depicting the three faces of the Holy Trinity on icons in the form of three pilgrims treated by Abraham under the shade of one of the trees of the oak grove of Mamre. As a result, the custom of decorating houses and churches with leafy branches and flowers on the feast of Pentecost was a remembrance of the appearance of the Most Holy Trinity to Abraham at the oak of Mamre. The churches and dwellings of Orthodox Christians, therefore, serve as an image of the tabernacle of Abraham, at which the three divine Travelers rested under the canopy of the oak of Mamre. Thus, looking at the plants and herbs that surround you on this feast in the temple and in your homes, transfer your thoughts to the appearance of the Triune God to Abraham. Reverently give thanks to the Lord God, Who appears to us in images accessible to our senses and so clearly approaches us, sinners, with such condescension that a person like us converses with God face to face.

We see the custom of decorating churches and houses with verdant herbs and flowers on the feast of Pentecost in another example of the Old Testament Church. On the feast of Pentecost, the Jews decorated their synagogues and houses with tree branches, herbs, and flowers, in remembrance of the fact that the law given by God on Mount Sinai was given at a time of the year when everything was green in nature. Moreover, during the wanderings of the Jews in the wilderness, they lived in tents made of tree branches. The Ten Commandments of the Sinai legislation are obligatory and necessary for us, Christians. Therefore, the pious custom of the Old Testament Church to decorate homes and synagogues with plants can easily be retained in our Christian Church, especially since the Upper Room, in which the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles on the day of Pentecost, according to the Old Testament custom, was also decorated with tree branches and flowers. Therefore, the apostles and the first Christians retained this custom in the Christian Church. This custom has come down to us in the same form as it was in the time of the apostles in the early Church.

The custom of decorating our homes with herbs and flowers on the feast of Pentecost is also found in the new example of the Church of the Old Testament. In it, on the feast of Pentecost, it was prescribed by law, as a sign of gratitude to God, to bring Him the first fruits of the harvest, which was ending in Palestine by that time. In the same way, in the Christian Church, the custom of bringing the first products of the vegetable kingdom to the temple at the beginning of spring has been preserved. This beautiful custom testifies to our desire to offer the Lord God a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for the spring renewal of nature. In our church rule there is no prescription for the establishment of a special celebration on the occasion of the spring renewal of visible nature. But now the feast of Pentecost is approaching, so to speak, that time of the year when plant life in nature is in full force and freshness. And therefore the thought of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, which is commemorated on the present feast, will very clearly indicate to us the actions of the same Spirit of God in the realm of visible nature. As in the beginning, at the creation of the visible world, the Spirit of God hovered over the waters (Gen. 1:2), Who poured His life-giving power into the unformed substance of creation, so in the already created nature, everything that vegetates and lives vegetates and lives by the power of the same All-Holy Spirit: "After Thy Spirit, and they shall be built, and renew the face of the earth" (Psalm 103:30), says the Psalmist. Therefore, the custom of decorating churches and dwellings with verdant branches and flowers on the day of Pentecost expresses more eloquently than words the feelings of our praise and thanksgiving to the Spirit of God, Who renews the face of the earth. Thus, looking at the branches and flowers of the trees, let us always imagine that with these flowers and branches we offer as it were a sacrifice of thanksgiving, worthy of God, who renews the spring nature after a long winter sleep.

Finally, the custom of decorating buildings with tree branches and flowers on the feast of Pentecost has for us both a moral meaning and significance. These flowers and tree branches point us to ourselves, to our spiritual and moral mood, which we should have in life. Look: behold, the flowers are green, blooming, and beautifully fragrant. Such should be the life of every Christian. It should be adorned and blossom with good and pious deeds. It should shine with those beautiful qualities of mind and heart that attract everyone, such as: piety, faith in God, humility, meekness, love for neighbors, and so on. As flowers with their fragrance and beauty attract and attract the eyes of each and every one, so piety, faith and love attract the hearts of all. Our pious life should shine and blossom with deeds of virtue in such a way that it may be an image and an example for others, and that it may serve for the glory of God. So let your light shine before men, said the Saviour, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven (Matt. 5:16). Thus, holding fragrant flowers in our hands on this feast, we must try to manifest in our lives this or that virtue, if we have not had it before. Look: there is a forget-me-not in your bunch of flowers. Looking at this flower, do not forget the Lord God and the Mother of God, Who loves you, protects you and prays to God for you. Here you have a lily. Looking at this flower, remember God's commandment not to worry about excessive adornment and finery, but to keep your heart pure and blameless from all vanity and impurity. Here you have cornflowers. By this flower let it be shown to you, that sin should not reign in you, but that our spirit should reign over the flesh and the passions. Think in the same way about other flowers and try to find in them certain lessons of faith and morality. Let every green branch of a tree with fragrant leaves teach us the abundant and life-giving fruits of virtue. And let a dry and lifeless branch point to the sad image of a sinful man, who has no living fruits of virtue and is dead to spiritual life.

On the Bringing of Fruits to the Church on the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord

The feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, according to the rite of the Church, is distinguished by a special prayer, placed at the end of the Liturgy, for the consecration of new fruits brought by Orthodox Christians. In the church prayer read at the same time, there is mention of bunches of grapes, which mainly abounded in the eastern countries of Greece and Palestine, from where, along with Orthodox worship, many pious customs were handed down to us, observed there according to tradition from the ancients. In Russia, because of the harsh climate, few or no grapes will be born, but in our country many other fruits ripen for the feast of the Transfiguration, the beginnings of which are brought to the Church for consecration. This custom is very ancient and involuntarily arouses in the soul of a Christian many edifying thoughts. God Himself, having commanded people in the Old Testament to offer sacrifices to Him not only from clean animals, blood sacrifices, but also from the fruits of the earth - bloodless sacrifices, showed people in this sacred sacramental institution the closest way by which they could externally express their religious feelings of faith, hope and grateful love for Him. Later, when the Lord led His chosen people to the promised land, unusually fertile, flowing with honey and milk, Israel was given the most precise commandment to be unchangeably fulfilled in eternal generations, to bring annually to the tabernacle the firstfruits of all fruits, and especially those essential for life - ears of wheat and bunches of grapes. "Observe," God said to the people of Israel through Moses, "and the feast of the harvest of the first fruits of your labor, which you sowed in the field, and the feast of the gathering of fruits at the end of the year, when you take your labor from the field... Thou shalt bring the firstfruits of thy potions into the house of the Lord thy God (Exodus 23:16, 19). You shall not eat any new bread, nor dried grains, nor raw grains, until the day in which you offer offerings to your God: this is an everlasting ordinance throughout your generations (Lev. 23:14). The custom of dedicating to God the firstfruits of fruit, as confirmed by the divine commandment in eternal generations, naturally had to pass together with other significant customs of the Old Testament into the composition of the sacred rites of the New Testament divine services. From the apostolic and conciliar canons it is evident that this custom has been observed in the Christian Church from ancient times. Thus, the 28th canon of the Sixth Ecumenical Council determined: "Let the priests accept the offering of grapes as the firstfruits, and blessing it separately, let them give to those who ask for thanksgiving to the Giver of fruits, by which, according to God's decree, our bodies grow and are nourished." By offering and blessing the firstfruits of fruit, together with arousing in us a feeling of thanksgiving to God for His gifts, the Holy Church teaches us, as it were, obedience, obliging us to abstain from eating the fruit until the blessing, and thus, among other things, protects us from diseases that can occur from the use of unripe fruit and without the blessing of God. According to the church rule, it is forbidden to eat fruits before the feast of the Transfiguration. "And if any of the brethren eats a bunch before the feast, then let him accept the prohibition for disobedience, and not eat the bunch during the whole month of August, from then on let the rest learn to obey." The custom of offering and blessing fruits that are especially important for our life – wheat and bunches of grapes – acquires for Christians a particularly high moral significance because our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, establishing a bloodless sacrifice for the thanksgiving remembrance of His salvific merits, used the offering of fruits and wheat and vines during the performance of this sacrament, and commanded all His followers in faith and life to be likened to the fruitful branches of the vine vine (John 15:1-7), i.e. to be always in the same unceasing inner unity with Christ, as a living branch is in relation to a tree, from which, if it breaks off, it withers. In the same way, our life without Christ will be barren and dead. In comparison of Christian life and activity with the fruitfulness of the tree, so often used in the Word of God, the most expressive and visual motivation is offered to bring forth the fruits of repentance and the correction of our lives. A Christian in the house of God, i.e. belonging to the community of believers, must not be a wild olive tree (Romans 11:17), but a fruitful one, must be like a tree planted by springs of water, and will yield its fruit in its season (Psalm 1:3). The inevitable fate of barren trees is burning: every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire (Luke 3:9), so will be done to a Christian who does not show the fruits of virtue in his life. Who will not be afraid of such a fate? And what black ingratitude on our part does not correspond to the paternal care of our Saviour, Who, like a gatekeeper, both plants and grows in our soul all that is good, protects and guards it from enemy attacks, expects fruit from it, while we, by our evil will, remain stubborn in iniquity! Isn't this offensive to the Heavenly Helicopter Maker?

Explanation of the Symbolic Actions Used in the Celebration of the Holy Sacraments of the Orthodox Church