Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 7.djvu/556

 HOST

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HOST

Death; (7) Resurrection; (8) Glorification; (9) King- dom. The first seven parts are placed in circles formed on the paten in the shape of a cross, the re- maining two portions are placed on the right side at the foot of the cross outside the circles (Duchesne, "ChristianWorship",p. 219). The transverse beam is formed by nos. 2,6, and 7, which represent the princi- pal mysteries: Birth, Death, and Resurrection. (See

accompanying figure.) Host was in former rious ways. Thus in in seven different man- rite of the Mass or the at ordinary Masses into feasts of confessors and

In other Churches the times divided in va- Ireland it was divided ners, according to the dignity of the festival: five particles; on the virgins into seven; on

the festivals of martyrs into eight; on Sundays into nine; on the festivals of Apostles into eleven; on the feast of the Circumcision and on Maundy Thursday into twelve; on Low Sunday and the feast of the Ascension into tliirteen; on Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost into sixty-five. They were arranged in the form of a cross with certain additional comphcations when they were numerous, and at the Communion each of the parts of the cross, or of its additions, was distributed

to a special group of persons, that is, priests, monks, etc. (Duchesne, ibid., p. 220). The break- ing of the Host is not an essential or even an integral part of the Mass, and was in former times occasioned by natural reasons and considerations, but it has high symboli- cal meanings. It symbolizes Christ's Latin Host violent death on

the Cross, as it indicates the wounding and lacerating which caused the separation of His Soul from His Body. The breaking of the Bread over the chalice is to remind us that the Blood contained in the chalice proceeds from His wounded and mangled Body, although thereby also caution is taken that no loose particles be lost.

Mingling of the Eucharistic Species. — Proba- bly down to the ninth century the Body and Blood of Christ were twice united in the chalice during Mass: the first time after the Pater Noster, when a pre- viously consecrated Host, or a Host received from another place, was used; the second time at the Com- munion, for which a particle broken from the Host of the Mass that was being celebrated was used. When the custom of sending the Eucharist to other Churches as a sign of union ceased, the former was retained, except when the pope officiated, in which case the latter was used and the former omitted. This custom was retained down to the fifteenth century, when the rite of mingling only after the Pater Noster, even at the pope's Mass, came into use. The celebrant, hav- ing broken the large Host into two equal parts, breaks a small particle from the part which he holds in his left hand. With this particle he makes three signs of the cross over the chalice, saying, "Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum", and then drops it into the Pre- cious Blood, saying: " H;pc commLxtio et consecratio Corporis et Sanguinis Domini nostri Je.su Christi fiat accipientibus nobis in vitam st^rnam. Amen." Just as the fraction of the Host indicates the wound- ing which caiised Christ's death, so this mingling of the Eucharistic species symbolically expresses that on the altar the living Body of Christ is present. The fraction represents His bloody sacrificial Death, and the mingling His glorious Resurrection, in which His

Body and Blood were again united and vivified. The threefold sign of the cross with the Particle over the chahce and the salutation of peace made between the fraction and mingling signify that Christ by His re- deeming Death and glorious Resurrection has become the author and source of true peace, which was pur- chased and negotiated for us by the holy Cross and the Blood shed thereon (Ciihr, "The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass", II, 67, 2 and 3).

Communion. — Although Communion is not an es- sential part of the Sacrifice, yet it belongs to its integ- rity, and for this reason the celebrant at least must partake in both species of the sacrifice which he is offering. An exception to this rule will be allowed if the celebrant should become so ill that he cannot consume the Species. In this case another priest must consume them, though he has already broken liis fast, if no other, still fasting, be present. In the Latin Rite at present the three parts of the sacrificial Host are consumed by the celebrant, who takes first the two larger pieces and then, together with the Precious Blood, the smaller piece dropped into the chalice. He is not permitted to keep the sacrificial Host of the Mass for Exposition and to consume in its stead the large Host reserved in the tabernacle. The latter may be consumed either together with the sacri- ficial Host or after the partaking of the Precious Blood. It should not, without necessity, be given to the faithful Communicating. Eor the latter use there are to be smaller Hosts, round in form, one of which is to be given to each communicant. In case of neces- sity it is lawful to divide the particles (S.R.C., 16 March, 1833). Newly consecrated particles may never be mixed with those consecrated previously, and the ciborium in which they are put should be thor- oughly purified before the new particles are placed in it.

Defects and Accidents. — Since the Host belongs to the essence of the Sacrifice of the Mass it is not surprising that the Church should have legislated for any defect or accident that may happen in regard to it. Hence at the beginning of the Roman Missal is found a chapter on the defects {Dc Dcfcctibus) that may occur. If during the Mass the celebrant ascertains that the bread is defective, i. e. not of wheat, or not unleavened (in the Roman Rite), or corrupted, in order to complete the sacrifice the following is to be ob- served :

(1) Before the Consecration. — Mass is interrupted, the invalid or doubtful matter is put aside and replaced by matter certainly valid. If the oblation of the invalid matter has already taken place, the celebrant places a valid host on the corporal and, folding his hands on his breast, offers it by reciting vocally or mentally the prayer "Suscipe .sancte Pater". He then continues the'Mass from the point at which it was interrupted. The prayer "Qui pridie quam pateretur", though he may have already said it, is to be repeated over the new host. If the first host was defective because it was not of wheat, the celebrant consumes it after the ablu- tions; if it was corrupt, he throws it into the sacra- rium.

(2) After the Consecration of the defective host. — Mass is interrupted, the defective host is placed on the cor- poral, and a new host is offered, as above. After the oblation the celebrant holds the new host between the thumb and index finger of both hands and begins the consecration at the words "Qui pridie quam patere- tur". Then he places the Host on the corporal with- oiit genuflecting, or elevating it, and continues Mass from the point at which Mass was interrupted. But if the first host has already been broken, the new Host, immediately after its consecration, is broken in half and both parts are placed on the paten. The dropping of a small particle of the larger Host in this instance is not of obligation: it may be done, but without words or ceremonies. The defective host