The Lamb and particles placed on the diskos during the Divine Liturgy. The Lamb ( Greek:άμνος amnos; Slavonic: Агнецъ agnets) is the square portion of bread cut from the Prosphora in the A paten, or diskos, is a small plate usually made of silver or gold used to hold Eucharistic bread which is to be Consecrated. The Divine Liturgy is the common term for the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine tradition of Christian liturgy.

Roman Catholic unleavened Host for the Celebrant and wafers for the communicants. Azymes is an archaic English word for the Jewish Matzah, derived from the Greek word αζυμος ("unleavened" for unfermented cakes in Biblical In cooking a wafer is a crisp often sweet very thin flat and dry Cake, often used to decorate Ice cream.

Tongs used for baking hosts.

Detail of tongs for baking hosts.

Jagger for making hosts.

United Methodist Elder presiding at the Eucharist, using a leavened loaf of bread. The United Methodist Church is the largest Methodist denomination and the second largest Protestant denomination in the United States. An Elder in the Methodist Church -- sometimes called a Presbyter or Minister -- is someone who has been Ordained by a Bishop to the

Sacramental bread, sometimes called Lamb or Host is the bread which is used in the Christian ritual of the Eucharist. The Lamb ( Greek:άμνος amnos; Slavonic: Агнецъ agnets) is the square portion of bread cut from the Prosphora in the The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those

Eastern Orthodox

Main articles: Prosphora and Azymes

The Eastern Orthodox Church continues the ancient practice of using leavened bread for the Eucharist. A prosphoron ( Greek: πρόσφορον offering) is a small loaf of Bread used in Orthodox Christian liturgies. Azymes is an archaic English word for the Jewish Matzah, derived from the Greek word αζυμος ("unleavened" for unfermented cakes in Biblical The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world A leavening agent (sometimes called just leavening or leaven) is a substance used in Doughs and batters that causes a foaming action intended Thus, the sacramental bread symbolizes the Resurrected Christ. Within the body of Christian beliefs the resurrection of Jesus is a core event on which much of Christian doctrine and theology depend The sacramental bread, known as prosphora, may be made out of only four ingredients:

• the finest (white) wheat flour
• pure water
• yeast
• salt

Sometimes, holy water will be either sprinkled into the dough or on the kneading trough at the beginning of the process. Flour is a powder made of Cereal grains It is the key ingredient of Bread, which is a staple food in many countries and therefore the availability Holy water can also refer to water that has been blessed, such as by a Priest, and is considered Holy.

The baking may only be performed by a believing Orthodox Christian in good standing—having preferably been recently to Confession, and is accompanied by prayer and fasting. The confession of one's Sins is a religious practice important to many faiths e Before baking, each loaf is formed by placing two disks of dough, one on top of the other, and stamping it with a special liturgical seal. The prosphora should be fresh and not stale or moldy when presented at the altar for use in the Divine Liturgy. An altar is any structure upon which Sacrifices or other offerings are made for religious purposes or some other sacred place where ceremonies take place The Divine Liturgy is the common term for the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine tradition of Christian liturgy. Often several prosphora will be baked and the priest shall choose the best one for the Lamb (Host) that will be consecrated. The Lamb ( Greek:άμνος amnos; Slavonic: Агнецъ agnets) is the square portion of bread cut from the Prosphora in the Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service usually religious

The implements used in the mixing and baking of the prosphora are set

Roman Catholic

A host is a portion of bread used for Holy Communion in many Christian churches. The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth In Western Christianity the host is often a thin, round unleavened wafer. Western Christianity is a term used to cover the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, the Churches of the Anglican Communion, the Lutheran Church Azymes is an archaic English word for the Jewish Matzah, derived from the Greek word αζυμος ("unleavened" for unfermented cakes in Biblical In cooking a wafer is a crisp often sweet very thin flat and dry Cake, often used to decorate Ice cream. Most of the Eastern Christian churches use a host cut from a leavened loaf of bread (see Lamb). Families of churches Eastern Christians have a shared tradition but they became divided ( Schism) during the early centuries of Christianity in disputes about A leavening agent (sometimes called just leavening or leaven) is a substance used in Doughs and batters that causes a foaming action intended The Lamb ( Greek:άμνος amnos; Slavonic: Агнецъ agnets) is the square portion of bread cut from the Prosphora in the

The word host is derived from the Latin, hostia, which means "victim" or "sacrificial animal. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. " The term can be used to describe the bread both before and after consecration, though it is more correct to use it after consecration - "altar bread" being preferred before consecration. Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service usually religious The Roman Church teaches that at the Words of Institution the bread is changed into the Body of Christ through transubstantiation. The Words of Institution are those used inserted into a narrative of the Last Supper, in Christian Eucharistic liturgies to recall those used by Jesus on that Body of Christ is a term of Christian Theology, implicitly traceable to Jesus 's statement at the Last Supper that "This is my body" See also Eucharist (Catholic Church On the related belief that Christ is present in the Eucharist in body blood soul and divinity see Real Presence.

In the Roman Catholic Church, hosts are often made by nuns as a means of supporting their religious communities. A Nun is a Woman who has taken special vows committing her to a religious life In the Latin Rite, unleavened bread is used in continuation of the custom begun in the ancient Jewish Passover ritual which is also known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Latin Rite is one of the 23 Sui iuris Particular Churches within the Catholic Church. A flatbread is a simple Bread made from flattened Dough. Many flatbreads are unleavened&mdashmade without Yeast or Sourdough culture Passover ( Hebrew, Yiddish: פֶּסַח Pesach, Tiberian: pɛsaħ Israeli: Pesah, Pesakh, Yiddish It is required that the hosts be made from wheat flour and water only (Code of Canon Law, Canon 924). Canon Law, the Ecclesiastical law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system with all the necessary elements courts lawyers judges a fully articulated The Eastern Catholic Churches and the Eastern Orthodox Churches use leavened bread for Prosphora (the Greek word for Eucharistic altar bread). This article refers to Eastern Churches in full communion with the Holy See The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world A prosphoron ( Greek: πρόσφορον offering) is a small loaf of Bread used in Orthodox Christian liturgies. 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. The Armenian Apostolic Church (Հայաստանեայց Առաքելական Եկեղեցի Hayasdaneaytz Arakelagan (Refer to List of Armenian Catholic Patriarchs of Cilicia) The Armenian Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic church Sui juris within The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church is a Chaldean Rite Major Archiepiscopal Church in Full communion with the Roman Catholic Church. Maronites ( الموارنة,, Syriac: ܡܪܘܢܝܐ, Latin: Ecclesia Maronitarum) are members of one of the Syriac Liturgical Latinisation is the process by which the liturgical practices of the Churches of Eastern Christianity (particularly the Eastern Catholic Churches 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 . The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM—in the Latin original Institutio Generalis Missalis Romani (IGMR—is the detailed document governing the celebration . . 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. The Fraction is the ceremonial act of breaking the consecrated bread during the Eucharistic rite in some Christian denominations The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those "

Protestant

In the varying Protestant denominations, there is a wide variety of practices concerning the sacramental bread used. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Some use leavened loaves of bread, some continue to use unleavened wafers like the Roman Catholics, and some use matzo. In cooking a wafer is a crisp often sweet very thin flat and dry Cake, often used to decorate Ice cream. Matza (also Matzah, Matzoh, or Matsah) מַצָּה in Ashkenazi matzo or matzoh, and in Yiddish, matze Even among those who use the unleavened wafers, there is a great deal of variation: some are square or triangular rather than round, and may even be made out of whole wheat flour.

Notes

Bibliography

• Tony Begonja, Eucharistic Bread-Baking As Ministry, San Jose: Resource Publications, 1991, ISBN 0-89390-200-4.

See also

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

External links

• New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia: Altar Breads