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The '''artoklasia''' (of Litia) is a service held at the end of [[Vespers]], [[Matins]] (Orthros), or even at the end of the [[Divine Liturgy]]. Five round loaves of bread are offered by individual faithful as a sign of devotion for personal or family anniversaries, such as [[name day]]s and other occasions related to the lives of the Orthodox. The five loaves are reminiscent of the five loaves that [[Jesus Christ]] blessed in the desert and by which five thousand of His hearers were fed.
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Artoklasia also symbolises and brings into practice the Agape meals of the very early Christian communities. Then, after the faithful received the [[Eucharist|Body and Blood of Christ]], they would gather in a common meal. In this way they signified the brotherly association established between them by their common faith and by their receiving the same sacramental Lord. Also, the Agape meals served a charitable purpose by providing meals to the poorer from among them.
