Eucharist

[frdave20]

I have seen in films, mostly, and only once personally the priest when distributing the sacred species – host – make the sign of the cross with the host… what is up with this? Is this still, if it ever was originally, permitted? I liked it… it conveyed another element of mystery, in a way, I suppose…

 

[amasimp]

In the traditional Latin Mass the priest takes the host and while making the Sign of the Cross over the communicant says:

“Corpus Domini nostri Jesu Christi custodiat animam tuam in vitam aeternam. Amen.”

May the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve your soul unto life everlasting. Amen.

I’ve never seen it done in the Novus Ordo, though I wish they would. These words I think better encompass the significance of Eucharist as an instrument of grace than the current, “Body of Christ.”

Cheers,
Amanda