Does the priest have to hold the bread during the consecration?.

[Featherfoot]

If the priest holds the ciborium but does not touch a host, are the hosts validly consecrated? I saw this done in two different places last week.

 

[Fr.Charles_Grondin]

The priest should hold the host in his hands during the consecration as directed by the Roman Missal. However, it does not affect the validity of the Eucharist if he does not. I can find no reference to the holding of the host in the celebrant’s hand(s) to be a requirement for validity of the Eucharist. Such a thing would be illicit but would not invalidate.