Prothesis

Prothesis (1), a small altar in Greek churches corresponding to the credence table. The name is taken from the shew-bread, which was called ἡ πρόθεσις τῶν ἄρτων — the setting-out of the loaves. (2.) A small side-altar in a Clugniac church, on the epistle side, at which the ministers of the altar, on Sundays and festivals, partook of both kinds, using a silver calamus to drink of the chalice.