From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It has been suggested that Sacramental bread be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

Big and small host

tongs for baking hosts

detail of tongs for baking hosts

jagger for making hosts

A host is a thin, round wafer made from bread and used for Holy Communion in many Christian churches.

The word is from the Latin, "hostia", which means "victim" or "sacrificial animal." The term can be used to the bread both before and after consecration, though it is more correct to use it after consecration - "altar bread" being preferred before consecration.

In the Roman Catholic Church, hosts are often made by nuns as a means of supporting themselves. It is required that the hosts be made from wheat flour and water only (Code of Canon Law, Canon 924). The Roman Church teaches that at the words of consecration the bread is changed into the Body of Christ through transubstantiation.

In the Latin Rite, unleavened bread is used. The Eastern Catholic Churches and the Eastern Orthodox Churches use leavened bread for Prosphora (the Greek word for Eucharistic altar bread). Exceptions to this are the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Armenian Catholic Church, the Syro-Malabar Church and Maronite Church, which due to the historical liturgical latinisation, have adopted (or been forced to adopt) the use of unleavened bread. Some traditions proscribe the use of spiced, flavored or sweetened hosts, while others allow it. However both Eastern and Western traditions insist that the bread must be made from wheat.

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 321 recommends "that the eucharistic bread ... be made in such a way that the priest at Mass with a congregation is able in practice to break it into parts for distribution to at least some of the faithful. ... The action of the fraction or breaking of bread, which gave its name to the Eucharist in apostolic times, will bring out more clearly the force and importance of the sign of unity of all in the one bread, and of the sign of charity by the fact that the one bread is distributed among the brothers and sisters."

• Prosphora
• Body of Christ
• Opłatek
• 1825 Anti-Sacrilege Law (France)
• Liturgical latinisation
• Lamb (Liturgy)

• New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia: Altar Breads