Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 7.djvu/555

 HOST

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HOST

Host of the Non-Uniat Arme- nians AT Bethlehem

although the figure of the Sacred Heart or the mono- gram of the Holy Name may be used [see Altar (in Liturgy), sub-title, Altar-Breads]. The sacrificial host of the Greeks is a square loaf to express mystic- ally that by the Sacrifice of the Cross redemption is granted to the four quarters of the globe. Two lines divide the upper part of the loaf into four squares in which usually the following letters are impressed, reading from left to right in the upper portion: IC- XC, and in the lower: NI-KA, i. e. " Jesus Christ con- quers." Like the host used by the priest at Mass, that which is exposed in the ostensorium, which is customar- ily as large as the former, and the small particles, must be thin wa- fers, round, not broken, fresh, and clean. All hosts should be free from little particles, which may be re- moved before carrying them to the altar by passing them lightly between the thumb and index finger.

Oblation. — For the valid Consecration of hosts it is necessary that they be morally and sensibly present to the consecrator and individually specified by him, so that the demonstrative pronoun hoc be verified at the Consecration. Ordinarily both the large host used for the Mass and the particles intended for distribution of Communion should be on the altar at the beginning of the Mass, or at least before the Offertory when they are placed on the corporal. If particles are brought to the altar after the Offertory, but before the beginning of the Preface, Mass is inter- nipted and the oblation of the particles is made either mentally or vocally, after which Mass is continued from the place at which it was interrupted. After the Preface has been begun, down to the Consecration, particles should not be brought to the altar to be con- secrated unless there be special reasons, e. g. so as not to deprive of t'ommunion a large number of people, or on special occasions, e. g. First Communion, general Communion at the end of a mission, during the paschal season to give persons a chance to fulfil their Easter duty (Benedict XIV, "De SS. Miss. Sacr.", sect. II, §clviii; Bernard, "Cours de lit. rom.", I, 98). The sacrificial host is at present placed after its oblation on the corporal in front of the chalice, because it is the first element to be consecrated. Formerly it was placed at the left side of the chalice, as if the latter were to receive the blood which flowed from the right side of Christ hanging on the cross (Innocent III, "De Sacro Altaris Mysterio", lib. II, c. Iviii). If the particles be few, they are offered with the sacrificial host on the paten, and then placed on the corporal near the sacrificial host towards the Gospel side. If they be many, they may be placed on the corporal at the beginning of Mass towards the Gospel side, where they remain during the Mass ; or they may be put in a ciborium covered with its lid, but without its veil until after the Communion; or in a chalice covered with a pall. During Mass the ciborium or chalice containing the particles is placed behind, or, if space will not permit, on the left side of the sacrificial chalice. At the Offertory and Consecration it is uncovered. The large host used for Exposition may be offered on the paten and then placed on the corporal between the chalice and the sacrificial host, or near the latter towards the Gospel side, where it remains through- out the Mass. If it be prepared in the lunula

the latter should be open at the Offertory and the Con- secration.

Consecration. — At the Consecration all the hosts, or the vessel which contains them, should be on the corporal and if possible on the altar-stone. If by chance the vessel containing the particles is not un- covered at the Consecration, they are nevertheless validly consecrated (Benedict XIV, loc. cit., §clv). If the ciborium is not on the corporal at the time of Con- secration it is doubtful whether they were consecrated, unless the celebrant had distinctly the intention of consecrating the contents of the vessel before him, not adverting to the fact that it rests outside the corporal (D'Annibale, III, n. 38S). Benedict XIV (loc. cit., §clix) holds that they should be consecrated absolutely during another Mass, but St. Liguori (lib. VI, n. 217) is of opinion that they should be consumed after the first ablution. The celebrant holds and looks at the sacri- ficial host only whilst he utters the words of Consecra- tion and makes over it the sign of the cross, but directs liis intention of consecrating to all the hosts on the corporal. Only the sacrificial Host is elevated for the adoration of the faithfvd, the consecrated particles remaining on the corporal.

Fraction of the Host.— Shortly before Commu- nion the Host is broken into parts, a ceremony found in all liturgies and which was introduced by Christ at the Last Supper. The object of the breaking of the Host is to indicate by this symliolical action the partaking of Communion by which the faithful are to become one body with Christ. The breaking of bread, symbolizing the Communion, is in reality the prep- aration of the sacrifice for the sacrificial feast: "The bread, which we break, is it not the partaking of the body of the Lord? For we, being many, are one bread, one body, all that partake of one bread " (I Cor., x, 16, 17). Hence, "to break the bread " is to prepare it for food and to distribute it for participation. In the Western Church the Host is divided into three parts. The celelirant holds the Host over the chal- ice and breaks it in half, one half of which he lays with his right hand on the paten, then lireaks from the other half from below (Pars inferior pnecidi debet — S.R.C., 4 Aug., 166.3) a particle which he afterwards drops into the chalice, and joins the other half in the left hand with that on the paten. Formerly one part was put into the chalice, another part was consumed by the celebrant, and the third part, which was the larg- est, was broken into particles for the Communion of the faithful who were present, and of the sick. Traces of this ancient usage are still found in the solemn Mass cele- brated by the Ro- man pontiff, who divides the third part into two particles, with which he Communi- cates the deacon and subdeacon of his Mass. A similar practice is observed in the Mass of the con- .secration of a bishop, who receives in Communion the third part from the consecrator. The Greeks break the Host into four parts, one of which is re- ceived by the celebrant, another is distributed to the faithful, the third is reserved for the sick, and the fourth is put into the chalice. In the Mozarabic Liturgy the Host is broken into nine parts, each hav- ing its special designation corresponding to a mystery in the life of Christ: (1) Incarnation; (2) Nativity; (3) Circumcision; (4) Apparition; (5) Passion; (6)

Host of the Uni.^t Armenians AT Constantinople