08/26/2026
ACEYA Answers: How is the Holy Body of Christ prepared in the Assyrian Church of the East?
When stamped, it is sealed in the middle of the dough, on the east side, on the west side, and on the north and on the south, and covers the dough well till the time of baking.
The dough’s creation symbolizes the life of Christ. Our church fathers call it the preparatory part, starting with Angel Gabriel coming to Mother Mary going to the crucifixion itself.
Malka is unique only to the Church of the East. It originates from Christ giving John the beloved two loaves of bread at the Last Supper, consuming one and keeping the other piece. As Christ was crucified and pierced, John the beloved, being there soaked up the blood and the water and made that loaf into malka which we renew every year from that same flour made from the loaf from John. It is renewed on the Thursday of Passover every year. It is called Malka because it’s “King.”
There is always an odd number of qurbana, the priest loaf being one, and then for example let’s say two additional loaves. The reason it must always be odd is because at the Last Supper, there were 12 disciples (even) plus Jesus (making it Odd, Jesus is the priest Loaf).
