Star of David Consecrated Host?

[bmpb]

I recently attended a Catholic mass at a Jesuit parish in New York City that I’d never been to before. While preparing for communion, the priest held up the consecrated host, as usual. The host was not round, however. Instead, it was a large six-pointed star. I’m not particularly knowledgeable about the liturgy, but this seemed very strange to me. I couldn’t tell if the host had been manufactured this way or if the priest had made it himself. It sort of looked like he was holding a few different pieces together to form the shape. I was hoping someone on this forum might have an insight into what was going on with this “Star of David” host. Has anyone seen it before? Does it mean something in particular? Any thoughts would be helpful. Thank you.

 

[FrDavid96]

The shape of the host is irrelevant.

We usually see round hosts, although I’ve seen some square ones.

In your question, you’re saying that it happened right before Communion is distributed–I take that to mean it was during the “This is the Lamb of God…” part. Remember that according to the rubrics, the Host is broken during the Lamb of God, so at that point, it’s not round anymore (even if he started with a round host). It’s easy to imagine that if the priest holds up the broken Host in a certain way, it might be star-shaped.

Maybe the priest is in the habit of doing it that way, or maybe it’s just a coincidence that it appeared that way at that time. Regardless, it doesn’t make a difference.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

I have often seen priests hold up the broken host with the halves overlapping so that the broken edge stuck out. That could potentially look star-shapped, especially if you aren’t close and are startled by what you see.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I disagree 100% with the star of David being used, as it is a Jewish symbol, not a Christian one. But as Fr. David said, bread is bread. As long as its bread, its valid matter.

I am actually wanting to make bread licit for the Latin Rite. Although I wonder which priest will actually use it. I am practicing making prosphora, or the bread used in the Byzantine Rite. I have already purchased stamps to mark the bread.

 

[bmpb]

I’m not 100% sure, but I strongly suspect the host was in the “Star of David” shape before it was broken, and that’s why I took note of it. Also, it certainly wasn’t an accident or a visual effect caused by looking at it from a strange angle. It was a large, perfectly formed star, and I was relatively close. Nonetheless, I’m glad for Fr. David’s information that the shape of the host is irrelevant to the liturgy. Thanks to everyone for your responses.

 

[drw72]

I have seen some that have lines in them that create a star pattern. I assume they are so it will break cleanly. The pieces always come out as nice clean triangles.

 

[NewEnglandPriest]

I disagree 100% with the star of David being used, as it is a Jewish symbol, not a Christian one.

Jesus is a Son of David…

 

[ConstantineTG]

Jesus is a Son of David…

Still, the Star of David is a Jewish symbol. The markings on any kind of Communion bread should be markings that relate to Christ. The common ones in the Roman Catholic Church is the cross. In the Byzantine Rite, we use the Christogram, “ICXC NIKA”. Its not even right to mark the bread with Mary, even though she is the Mother of God.

 

[promethius]

Still, the Star of David is a Jewish symbol. The markings on any kind of Communion bread should be markings that relate to Christ. The common ones in the Roman Catholic Church is the cross. In the Byzantine Rite, we use the Christogram, “ICXC NIKA”. Its not even right to mark the bread with Mary, even though she is the Mother of God.

And what makes you think that the star of David is not a prefigurement of Christ and therefore a symbol that belongs to Him?

You are aware that the old covenant is not dead, and that all of it’s ordained symbols still belong to God, right?

 

[ConstantineTG]

And what makes you think that the star of David is not a prefigurement of Christ and therefore a symbol that belongs to Him?

You are aware that the old covenant is not dead, and that all of it’s ordained symbols still belong to God, right?

With enough verbal and thought gymnastics, we can make anything symbolize anything. Ultimately, God created everything and everything points to Him. But again, its not a Christian symbol.

 

[MarkThompson]

And what makes you think that the star of David is not a prefigurement of Christ and therefore a symbol that belongs to Him?

Because its existence as a Jewish symbol is strictly second-millennium. Tough to prefigure Christ with a symbol from eleven or twelve hundred years later.

 

[promethius]

Because its existence as a Jewish symbol is strictly second-millennium. Tough to prefigure Christ with a symbol from eleven or twelve hundred years later.

You are correct. Prior to the second millenium, the star of David was a common symbol among Christians and Muslims (and jews!). We also know that as late as 1165 it was still in common use in Christianity, since it appears on the Cathedral of Brandenburg, and Stendal (and, in fact, appears on the Marktkirche of Hannover dating to the 14th century as well). Of course, in Christian parlance we call it the hexagram (rather than the Star of/sheild of/Hagen David…

It was only in the second millenium in which Kabbalists took it up and it became a (seemingly) exclusive “Jewish” symbol… and this usage has gained popularity in the last 75 years.

But that doesn’t change the fact that the symbol has traditionally been associated with all three of the monotheistic religions

 

[ConstantineTG]

Also the Star of David doesn’t point to anything regarding the Sacrifice of Christ.

So far besides the cross, I’ve seen JHS and Chi-Rho on Latin Rite hosts, and ICXC NIKA on the Byzantine prosphora, both of which are Christograms.

Regardless of the antiquity of the Star of David, it is the Star of David. Even though Christ as a human is a descendant of David, David has nothing to do with the Eucharist directly.

 

[promethius]

Also the Star of David doesn’t point to anything regarding the Sacrifice of Christ.

So far besides the cross, I’ve seen JHS and Chi-Rho on Latin Rite hosts, and ICXC NIKA on the Byzantine prosphora, both of which are Christograms.

Regardless of the antiquity of the Star of David, it is the Star of David. Even though Christ as a human is a descendant of David, David has nothing to do with the Eucharist directly.

Le Sigh.

In Christian usage, it’s called the hexagram or the star of creation (and what, exactly, would the star of creation be if not Jesus?). Just because the Jews took it on and started calling it the star of David, and that’s the common parlance for it now, does not change the fact that it’s a Christian symbol from antiquity.

Again, you’re flipping out over nothing. The shape of the bread doesn’t even matter according to the rubrics anyway!

 

[ConstantineTG]

Le Sigh.

In Christian usage, it’s called the hexagram or the star of creation (and what, exactly, would the star of creation be if not Jesus?). Just because the Jews took it on and started calling it the star of David, and that’s the common parlance for it now, does not change the fact that it’s a Christian symbol from antiquity.

Again, you’re flipping out over nothing. The shape of the bread doesn’t even matter according to the rubrics anyway!

Still has nothing to do with the Last Supper and Crucifixion.

The rubrics may not cover shape or markings on the bread, but it doesn’t mean we can just do whatever we like. Symbolism play a large part in our faith, because physical symbols point us to the inner spiritual truths. The Star of David doesn’t lead me to the truth of the Sacrifice of Christ and the Eucharist.

 

[promethius]

Still has nothing to do with the Last Supper and Crucifixion.

The rubrics may not cover shape or markings on the bread, but it doesn’t mean we can just do whatever we like. Symbolism play a large part in our faith, because physical symbols point us to the inner spiritual truths. The Star of David doesn’t lead me to the truth of the Sacrifice of Christ and the Eucharist.

What you’re referring to, however, is not known in Christian symbolism as the star of David, but rather as the hexagram or star of creation.

You’re letting other religions hijack Christian symbols. If that was the way that the church operated we would have no Christmas, no Easter, and no Halloween. Instead, we recognize that the hexagram is a Christian symbol which has only lately taken on new meaning in Judaism as well (and it was a symbol for the jews back in the first century too).

You’re protesting a Christian symbol and calling it Jewish, basically, because the Jews told you that it was so. I don’t take my teachings from the Jews, so I recognize that the hexagram was and still is a Christian symbol.