Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 7.djvu/552

 HOST

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HOST

ing a large host for the priest and a small one for each communicant. However, by the twelfth century the new custom prevailed in France, Switzerland, and Germany; Honorius of Autun states in a general way that the hosts were in the form of "denarii". The monasteries held out for a longer time, and as late as the twelfth century the ancient system was still in force at Cluny. In 1516 the Missal of Rouen pre- scribed that the celebrant break the host into three parts, the first to be put into the chalice, the second to be received in Holy Communion by the celebrant and ministers and the third to be kept as Viaticum for the dying. The Carthusians reserved a very large host, a particle of which they broke off for each Viaticum. Eventually all hosts were made round and their dimensions varied but little. However, some very large ones were at times consecrated for monstrances, on occasion of the Exposition of the Blessed Sacra- ment. To-day in Rome the large hosts are nine centimetres in diameter and the small ones four cen- timetres. In other countries they are usually not so large. In 1865 Pius IX authorized the priests exiled to Siberia to consecrate the Eucharist with wheaten bread that had not the form of a round host.

FiGunE.s. — From ancient monuments in painting, sculpture, antl epigrai^hy we have seen the general usage of tracing a cross on the Eucharistic loaves which were thence called dcaissnti (Lat. decussia:, a coin marked X). For the early Greek-speaking Christians the cross (X), being the initial of the name of Christ (Xpio-rAs), was constantly in evi- dence; soon the idea was conceived of replacing the plain cross by the monogram, and finally there were added on either .side the letters A and ii (.\lpha and Omega, i. e. the beginning and the end) as on the Carthaginian moulds. In certain countries the plain cross continued to exist for a long time; in the Dio- ce.se of .\rles no other sign was tolerated until the Revolution. Beginning with the twelfth century, however, the crucifix was almost universally sulxsti- tuted for the cross, though this iconographic form was never made obligatory. Besides the Crucifixion we find the Resurrection, Christ at the pillar, the angel holding a chalice, the Lamb either lying down or standing. Our Lady at Bethlehem, at Calvary, or being a-ssumed into heaven, the Last Supper, the Ascension, the Holy Face, St. Martin dividing his cloak, St. Clare carrying the ciborium, the symbols of the Evangelists, etc.

Inscriptions. — ^The bread made by Roman bakers l)ore the maker's name or initials, and it would seem that this practice extended even to Eucharistic bread, but on this subject our information is rather vague. We often read an inscription of a symbolical or mysti- cal character such as that found on the host-moulds of Carthage. Here are some of the commonest exam- ples: "I H S" (Je-sus); "I H S X P S" (i. e. Jesus Christus); "Hoc est corpus meum"; "Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est " ; " Ego sum panis vi vus qui de cceIo descendi"; "Si quis manducaverit ex hoc pane vivet in a?ternum"; "Ego sum via Veritas et vita "; " Ego sum resurrectio et vita " ; " Plectentes coronam de spinis imposuenmt in capite ejus"; " Foilerunt manus meas et pedes meos; dinumeraverunt omnia ossa mea"; "Et damans Jesus voce magna emisit spiritum"; "Resurrectio Domini"; "In hoc signo vinces, Constantine ".

Leavened Bread. — ^The leavened hosts of the Greeks are of a large size, sometimes round, triangu- lar, or in the form of a cross, but oftener square. On the under side they have a quadrangular imprint divided into four equal parts by a Greek cross and bearing the inscription ic XC NI KA ('IijffoCs Xpiaris piKf), i. e. "Jesus Christ is victor".

The airban of the Copts is a white, round, leavened loaf, flat underneath, convex on the top, and as large as the palm of the hand. It is stamped with

twelve little squares each containing a cross in honour of the Twelve Apostles. In the centre a larger square isbodion is marked with a large cross divided by four small ones; it is the symbol of Christ. This cen- tral portion is useil for the Communion of the cele- brant, the other parts ("pearls") being distributed among the faithful. The inscription reads: "Agios, agios, agios Kurios"; or else " Kurios Sabaoth" or "agios iskuros, agios athanatos, agios o theos". The scliismatic .Armenians use an unleavened ho.st about the size and thickness of a five-franc- or dollar-piece and bearing the stamp of a crucifix having on the right a chalice surmounted by a host and on the left a spear or a cross. The Mingrclians have a small, round host weighing a little over an ounce with a square stamp, the inscription signifying: "Jesus Christ is victor." The Confession of .Augsburg main- tained the use of small round hosts which the Calvin- ists rejected under pretext that they were not bread. In Germany the Evangelical Churches use round, white breads eight centimetres in diameter by nine in thickne.ss. Christian antiquity has transmitted to us pyxes or boxes intended to hold the Eucharist, but as these should be considered in coiuiexion with. sacred ves.sels, it is not necessary here to dwell upon them but simply upon the boxes in which the altar-breails are kept prior to consecration aiul which are generally very |)lain. In the Middle Ages and during the Renaissance the.se boxes were very rich, being made of silver, ivory, anil enamel, .\ncient host-boxes are very rare, but those now in \ise are of tin-plate or pasteboard, generally with some trimming.

Miraculous Hosts. — The Eucharist has been the ol>ject of a great many miracles often referred to in ecclesiastical history; not all, however, have been well enough authenticated to place them beyond doubt. In some of the miracles the host appears as transformed into a new substance; sometimes it has remained intact diu'ing a considerable ))eriod; some- times blood has flowed from it, etc. In the third century St. Cyprian mentions that a man was pre- paring to Communicate in mortal sin; for this purpose he received the Eucharist in his hands when instantly the bread turned to ashes. Sozonien, a fifth-century historian, relates a miracle that took place at Constan- tinople where a heretic had undertaken to convert his wife. Simulating a change of life she went to Com- munion, but had barely attemptecl to eat a piece of bread, which she had substituted for the Eucharist, when she perceived that the said piece hatl changed to stone. About the ninth century, when anti-Euchar- istic heresies began to appear, accounts of miracles multiplied in a way to convince even the most obsti- nate. John the Deacon ascribed a most extraordinary act to Gregory the Great when he related that, with the point of a knife, this pope had caused blood to issue from a corporal. In the ninth century Paschasius Radbertus, writing of the Body and 131ood of the Saviour, recounts that a priest named Plegilus beheld, instead of the Host, Jesus Christ under the sensible form of a child, and pre-ssed Him to his heart. At his request the Lord again veiled Himself under the ap- pearance of wine. \t Fecamp a h'gend dating back to the tenth century related that the priest of a little chapel situated about three miles from the abbey found at the moment of Connnunion neither bread nor wine but the Flesh and Blood of Christ. Ap- palled, he reported the fact at the abbey, the miracle was confirmed, and the chalice and paten, together with the species, were enclosed beneath the high altar of the church.

Occasionally hosts have been preserved for a very long time. It is related that St. Norbert deposited in the church of St. Michael at Antwerp hosts that had remained intact for fifteen j'cars. notwithstanding the fact that, through contempt, they had been left in damp places by partisans of the heretic Tanchelin.