Hosts

[Paris_Blues]

I’ve noticed on the Daily Mass on EWTN when they have the Eucharist, they have these like “plate” like things that are under a person’s mouth when they recieve the Host. Is it just in case it doesn’t fall from the person’s mouth or doesn’t accidently get dropped? If it does, what happens?

Sorry, this is an asinine question!

 

[Genesis315]

Paris Blues:

I’ve noticed on the Daily Mass on EWTN when they have the Eucharist, they have these like “plate” like things that are under a person’s mouth when they recieve the Host. Is it just in case it doesn’t fall from the person’s mouth or doesn’t accidently get dropped? If it does, what happens?

Sorry, this is an asinine question!

Yep, that’s exactly what it’s for. It’s called a Communion plate and it was especially important when you could only receive directly into your mouth. Dropping the Body of Christ on the floor is really bad (I’m not sure if it’s considered desecration).

Technically, parishes are all supposed to use the Communion plate. The document addressing liturgical abuses, Redemtionis Sacramentum says this:

[93.] The Communion-plate for the Communion of the faithful should be retained, so as to avoid the danger of the sacred host or some fragment of it falling.

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html#Chapter%20VII

Unfortunately, almost no parishes I know of use it (besides during the Tridentine Mass). Actually, the first Latin Mass I ever went to, it fell out of the ladies mouth kneeling next to me and was caught by the Communion plate! So it actually does come in handy now and then!

 

[Patrick2340]

These are called patens. Patens were (and are) used when Holy Communion is received on the tongue. This is to prevent the Body of Christ from accidentally falling on the floor as well as to collect any fragments that might fall from the Consecrated Host.

 

[maryprayforme]

We must consider to that every particle of the Host is sacred. So the paten is also for catching any particles. If you receive in the hand, please realize this. You have particles on your hands. It is sad when people brush their hands together or wipe them on their pants. Never thougth about it, but I hope they wash their hands before Mass.

 

[JimG]

Our altar servers still use the patens at communion time–for both those receiving on the tongue and in the hand.

Now, if we could just make sure that they are all trained to keep the paten parallel to the floor at all times until it is returned to the altar for the ablutions…