The answer
The priest's anointing the lamb with water is symbolic of Christ's baptism and the anointing of His body with spices.Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)
Questions & Answers
Divine Liturgy
Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › Prayer, Fasting and Worship › Divine Liturgy
The question
Why does the priest anoint the holy bread with water during the procession of the Lamb?
Related questions
- During the Procession of the Lamb, why does the deacon holding the water flask stand on the priest's left hand side (on the south end of the church)?
- Should the church congregation bow down fully (prostrate) or just bend their heads after the fraction when the deacon says, "Bow your HEADS to the Lord"?
- Why do the deacons place their tunics (tunyas) over their left arm?
Questions answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab) of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Question 1157 on the Diocese’s Q&A site. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.