Dear Baba: Help me understand the bread and wine that we have after communion. How is that bread different from the little loaves at the back of the church at the beginning of Liturgy? Do I take some from the tray even if I haven’t been to communion? I see people share it with visitors – is that allowed? All I really know is that it tastes good and I have a hard time keeping my toddler out of the tray.

My dear, please come sit down and have a cup of tea with me and we’ll talk about the Antidoron. A simple definition will help get us started. You can see ‘Anti’ in the word so we can be pretty sure there is a contrast coming. The word ‘Antidoron’ means ‘instead of the gifts.’ The bread itself comes from the loaves of Prosphora. Portions are prayerfully set aside during the Proskomedia – the liturgy of preparation prior to the beginning of the Divine Liturgy where the Prosphora is cut in a powerfully symbolic way and prepared to be consecrated (that is a topic unto itself but you should seize the chance to experience a Proskomedia or at least read the service).

The Prosphora are the little loaves you refer to. These are one of two sizes of breads used for the Liturgy. The little Prosphora (or Prosfeerki as we called them) are available for parishioners to send to the altar with their special prayers requests. After liturgy, these little Prosphora are brought back to the people (you’ll notice portions have been removed for the gifts). These loaves are either consumed at church (prior to having anything at coffee hour) and often shared with parishioners; or they are taken home and carefully consumed over the course of the week after morning prayers.

What remains of the larger Prosphora after the Proskomedia service is cut up and becomes the Antidoron [pronounced “ahn-tee-doron”]. This “agape” bread has three main purposes.

• It is blessed but not consecrated. So it is not communion. Those who do not approach the chalice should partake of the Antidoron – taken ‘instead of the gifts’ of communion. Although this in no way should ever be considered a substitute for communing (and preparing for the chalice with proper prayer, fasting and making peace with your neighbor).

• It is meant to break the fast – for those who have communed and traditionally even for those who have not. We have been fasting in preparation for approaching the Body and Blood of Our Lord and Savior. After we have partaken of Communion, we break the fast with the blessed bread and wine. Orthodox customs vary with the Antidoron but all have at least the bread following Communion.

• In the early years of the church, the Antidoron also served the purpose to ensure that everyone left with an empty mouth. Here, let me pour you another cup of tea as you unfurl your puzzled brow. You see, my dear, there were problems with folks who saved the Communion in their mouths to take home and set up a home altar with it. Some of the pagan traditions were pretty engrained. This way, with some bread and a sip of wine, the mouth would be washed clean and the issue resolved. This process is called an “ablution” or cleansing of the mouth after communion. A “washing out” so to speak.

Now that we have an idea of purpose, let’s talk about how we engage that tray of Antidoron. It is blessed. It is not communion but it is blessed none the less and must be treated as blessed. It is not coffee hour food.

• Treat it carefully. This is especially critical for children. Do not leave crumbs period.

• The wine is there to sip (some take a single sip, some take three – customs vary) and a cup is also there to dip the Antidoron. It is not required to dip the Antidoron but many like to do so. First, don’t “double dip” after taking one bite. Second, remember this is a “washing out” of the mouth, not “quenching your thirst” with a gulp rather than a sip.

• Typically you will see people eat the Antidoron by holding it in one hand and placing their other hand underneath to catch all the crumbs. These absolutely must not be dumped onto the floor or wiped against your pants or skirt. These crumbs should be carefully consumed. The people who clean the church would hopefully never find a crumb of Antidoron on the benches or on the floor. And just so you know – everything that gets vacuumed up gets burned out of the concern that we not throw away any particle of Antidoron. It is heartbreaking to see a church floor littered with Antidoron crumbs and even worse to see them trampled under foot. Please be careful with it and train up your children.

• Traditionally, the faithful will take some Antidoron home for family members who could not attend the liturgy. The Antidoron is carefully wrapped in a tissue or something like that and the crumbs left in the tissue returned to the earth...specifically where people DO NOT walk. 

• Some will take a few pieces to have after their morning prayers to break the fast of the night as the first food taken that day. Again they must be very careful with the crumbs –and that becomes more of an issue as the bread dries. It is consumed on its own – not as part of breakfast with a cup of coffee.

• Yes, we can share it with visitors in fellowship. And yes, it is appropriate to bring some to a parishioner who did not approach the chalice that day. This Antidoron can be likened to the “Agape Meal” after Pascha where we share our food with everyone.

• Children seem to have a particular affinity for it and it isn’t a new phenomenon. My mother talked about how the kids she grew up with absolutely loved it - and I know I sure did, as did all my peers. And I have a sneaking feeling that didn’t start in the past few generations. With it being on a low table and accessible in those last minutes of a liturgy when the wiggles are so hard to control, it can prove to be a challenge. But please set reasonable limits. I’m sure you’ll find a good balance.

I hope that helps. Now, you must have another cup of tea and try some of these pastries I made the other day. And you must tell me all the things your wonderful children are up to.

With Enveloping Hugs; Baba