Holy Leaven

Holy Leaven, also known as Malka (Classical Syriac: ܡܲܠܟܵܐ, pronounced [ˈmalkaː]), is a powder added to the sacramental bread used in the Eucharist of both the Ancient Church of the East and the Assyrian Church of the East and historically in the Church of the East. Both churches hold the Holy Leaven to be one of their seven sacraments. The Syro-Malabar Church in India, which was historically a part of the Church of the East, also uses Holy Leaven to prepare sacramental bread in several churches whereas unleavened bread is also in use. There are two rituals associated with the Holy Leaven: its addition to sacramental bread before it is baked, and the annual renewal of the Holy Leaven itself.

The origin of the Holy Leaven supposedly goes back to the Last Supper. According to various traditions, John the Apostle kept a piece of bread given to him by Jesus and later mixed it with Jesus' blood after his death. This substance was divided between the apostles to be used in preparing sacramental bread ever since and successfully brought to the Christians of the East. The earliest historical mention of the Holy Leaven is from c. 900, and tradition that connects it with the Last Supper is fairly new, dating from the 13th and 14th centuries. It is likely that the Holy Leaven is a symbol instituted to unify congregations by the Patriarchate of Seleucia-Ctesiphon during vast missionary expansion of the Church of the East.

The Assyrian Church of the East and the Ancient Church of the East use leavened bread for the Eucharist, like most churches of Eastern Christianity, but they are the only Churches to include the additional ingredient of Holy Leaven. Holy Leaven is a powder added to sacramental bread before it is baked. Despite the name, Holy Leaven does not actually contain a leavening agent. Instead, khmira, fermented dough from previously used sacramental bread, is added and acts as leaven. What the Holy Leaven does contain is remainder from the original Holy Leaven, renewed annually by mixing it with common ingredients. The original Holy Leaven is said to contain residue from the original bread used at the Last Supper, mixed with the blood of Jesus. The Church believes that this Holy Leaven was handed down to believers by Thomas the Apostle (Mar Thoma), Thaddeus of Edessa (Mar Addai) and Saint Mari (Mar Mari), traditionally regarded as its founders.

There are two rituals associated with the Holy Leaven: its addition to sacramental bread being baked for the day's Eucharist, and the annual renewal of the Holy Leaven itself. When sacramental bread is baked for the Eucharist, in the morning of a Holy Communion, the priest takes some of the Holy Leaven and says: "This dough is signed and hallowed with the old and holy leaven of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given and handed down to us by our holy fathers Mar Addai and Mar Mari and Mar Thoma the Apostles, who made disciples of this eastern region: in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost ... This broken portion is signed and hallowed with this Holy Leaven in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." Holy Leaven is added to the dough before it is baked.

The Holy Leaven is renewed annually on Passover Thursday by a bishop or parish priest by mixing some of the old Holy Leaven with a new mix. The mix consists of fine wheaten flour, salt, olive oil, and water. There are many prayers associated with the renewal of the Holy Leaven.

The historical origins of the Holy Leaven are unknown, as is the time the rituals were first performed. Nonetheless, different versions of tradition about its origins exist. In any case, the traditions are fairly young, dating to 13th and 14th centuries, the time of the Church of the East, the predecessor of the Ancient Church of the East and the modern Assyrian Church of the East.

One account is from the 13th century by Shlemon of Basra. According to it, John the Apostle had hidden a part of the portion of bread he had received from Jesus during the Last Supper. Then, after Jesus' resurrection during the Gospel account of Doubting Thomas, when Thomas the Apostle put his finger into one of the wounds of Jesus inflicted by the spear, blood dripped out. John then dipped the bread in the blood, and that mix became the Holy Leaven. According to this version, the Holy Leaven was taken to the Christians of the East by Thaddeus of Edessa and Saint Mari, but the other Seventy disciples of Jesus refused it, saying: "We will consecrate for ourselves whenever we wish."

Another account is from the 14th century and is written by Johannan Bar Zobi, based on an account supposedly originating from Peter the Apostle. According to it, John the Baptist collected some of the water that was dripping from Jesus after his baptism. Before John died, he passed the water on to John the Apostle. Then, during the Last Supper Jesus gave John two pieces of bread, asking him to eat one and keep the other. After Jesus had died and was taken down from the cross and pierced with the spear, the tradition holds that John witnessed both blood and water running from the wound unmixed. John then mixed the blood with the piece of bread he had kept and the water with the baptismal water he had preserved. After resurrection, Jesus told his disciples to use these two substances as "leaven": the water to be used in baptisms and the mix of blood and bread to be used in preparing Eucharistic bread, the Holy Leaven. The Holy Leaven was crushed into powder, mixed with flour and salt and divided among the apostles.