The first part of the liturgy is called proskomedia, which means “offering.” It is called so because the substance for the sacrament of communion was chosen from the voluntary offerings of Christians.
The substances for the sacrament of communion are: bread and wine. The bread must be wheat, leavened. This bread is called prosphora, which means “offering.” Five prosphoras are used for the liturgy. The wine must be red grape.
From the first prosphora, the priest cuts out a special quadrangular part, called the Lamb, “in remembrance of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ,” while pronouncing the words of the prophet Isaiah about the Savior as the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world (Is. 53: 7-8). Having placed the Lamb on the paten, the priest pours wine into the cup, adding a little water, remembering the words of the Gospel: “One of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out” (John 19:34).
A particle is taken out of the second prosphora in honor of the Mother of God; from the third - nine particles in honor of saints; from the fourth, particles are taken for the health of living members of the Church, from the fifth - for the dead.