Michael Brooks
Communion wafers are used in Catholic churches during liturgical celebrations and are often thin, round, and unleavened. The custom of using these wafers is ancient, dating back to the 8th century when the consecration of hosts began to spread. By the 9th century, the custom was well-established, and ecclesiastical archives began to record the purchase of wafer moulds. Today, the Cavanagh Company, a family-owned business in Rhode Island, produces the majority of communion wafers used in Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, and Lutheran churches in several countries, including the United States, Canada, England, and Australia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Bread | Unleavened bread, also known as communion wafers or hosts |
| Ingredients | Wheat flour and water, sometimes with the addition of holy water |
| Shape | Thin, round, and small |
| Markings | May contain a cross, crucifix, or IHS Christogram |
| Manufacture | Historically handmade by nuns or bakers sanctioned by the church, now mass-produced by companies like Cavanagh Altar Breads |
| Distribution | Distributed in small chunks or single portions to avoid crumbling |
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What You'll Learn
- Communion wafers are made from wheat flour and water
- They are unleavened, unlike the bread used by some other Christian denominations
- The custom of using wafers began in the 8th century
- The Cavanagh Company manufactures most communion wafers
- Wafers are preferred as they are easier to store and less crumbly
Communion wafers are made from wheat flour and water
The Code of Canon Law dictates that communion wafers are to be made from wheat flour and water only and must be freshly made. In the past, nuns and other members of religious orders would make the wafers, but today, the majority of wafers are mass-produced by for-profit companies. For example, Cavanagh Altar Breads, a secular, industrial baker, produces the communion wafers for up to 80% of the Catholic Church in the US.
The move to mass production has been controversial, with some people believing that the sanctity of the wafers is preserved by them being made by hand. In addition, the shift to large-scale production has reduced the income of nuns and bakers sanctioned by the church who traditionally made the wafers.
Communion wafers are often imprinted with sacred images, such as a cross, crucifix, or IHS Christogram. They are usually small, thin, and round, making them easy to store and reducing the possibility of crumbs during the breaking of the bread.
The use of wheat flour and water in communion wafers is significant, as the addition of yeast (or leaven) would symbolise sin and would not properly represent the pure sinless body of Christ.
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They are unleavened, unlike the bread used by some other Christian denominations
Communion wafers are unleavened, unlike the bread used by some other Christian denominations. Leavened bread is symbolic of sin, and so the Armenian Catholic Church and the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church offer unleavened bread to symbolize the sinlessness of Christ. The Catholic Church's use of unleavened wafers originates from the belief that Jesus used unleavened bread at the Last Supper, as it was a symbol of the Passover.
The custom of using unleavened wafers during liturgical celebrations is ancient, but it did not originate in the early Christian era. In the early centuries, priests consecrated ordinary leavened loaves, which were then distributed to the faithful in small chunks. However, by the 8th century, the custom of consecrating hosts began to spread, with Alcuin of York and St. Rabanus Maurus emphasising the use of unleavened bread. By the 9th century, the custom was well established, with liturgical archives noting the purchase of wafer moulds.
The small, round wafers used today were likely born out of practicality, as larger wafers were extremely crumbly and could accidentally disperse small fragments when broken. The use of unleavened wafers in the Catholic Church also gained popularity due to their long shelf life and ease of storage.
Today, the majority of communion wafers used in the Catholic Church are mass-produced by secular companies, such as Cavanagh Altar Breads, which supplies up to 80% of the hosts used by the Church in the US. This shift from wafers being made by nuns and bakers sanctioned by the church to being produced by large companies has been controversial for some.
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The custom of using wafers began in the 8th century
The custom of using wafers during Catholic communion began in the 8th century. During this time, the custom of consecrating hosts or communion wafers began to spread. In 798, Alcuin of York spoke in favour of the hosts, emphasising their resemblance to the unleavened bread consumed by Jesus at the Last Supper.
A few years later, St. Rabanus Maurus pointed out that the Old Testament explicitly forbade the use of leavened bread for sacrifices. Although the New Covenant allowed Christians to move away from Old Testament prohibitions, St. Rabanus Maurus still believed that Communion wafers, being free of leaven, were preferable.
By the 9th century, the custom was well established, with liturgists taking it for granted. Ecclesiastical archives from this time also show the purchase of wafer moulds, which were often decorated to imprint sacred images on the wafers.
The custom of using wafers in Catholic communion arose from the belief that Jesus used unleavened bread at the Last Supper. Unleavened bread is also significant in the Jewish Passover, symbolising the haste with which the Jews fled Egypt.
The use of wafers also arose from practical considerations. The original Eucharistic bread was crumbly and broke into many small fragments when broken. To avoid this, monks switched to a single-portion format, resulting in the small round wafers used today.
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The Cavanagh Company manufactures most communion wafers
Communion wafers are used in the Catholic Church to commemorate the Last Supper, where Jesus used unleavened bread, symbolic of the Passover feast. The custom of using small, light-coloured wafers during liturgical celebrations is ancient, but not from the early Christian era.
The Cavanagh Company, a family business located in Rhode Island, manufactures over 3/4 of the communion wafers used by Roman Catholic, Episcopalian and Lutheran churches in the United States, Canada, England, and Australia. The company was founded in 1943 by John F. Cavanagh Sr. and his son John, who were approached by local priests with a request to help the parish nuns, who were struggling with antiquated equipment for baking altar bread. John Sr., an inventor, successfully converted waffle irons, humidifiers, mixers and cutters into tools for the baking and cutting of unleavened Communion wafers.
The Cavanagh Company is now the largest supplier of altar bread and communion wafers in the world, spanning four generations of the Cavanagh family. The company employs three dozen full-time staff members to meet the global demand for their communion wafers. Their manufacturing process is unique, with all work done by machines, ensuring the wafers remain "untouched by human hands" to preserve their sanctity.
The Cavanagh Company's wafers are made of pure wheat flour and water, without any additives, and are baked in an exceptionally clean and modern automated facility. Their packaging is also superior, with cellophane rolls in boxes, barrier film bags, and hermetically sealed plastic containers. The company constantly innovates to improve the consistency of their wafers and meet the unique demands of their product, such as using special dampening techniques to prevent the breads from crumbling.
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Wafers are preferred as they are easier to store and less crumbly
The Catholic Church uses unleavened bread, or communion wafers, for the Eucharist. The custom of using these wafers is ancient, dating back to the 8th century when the custom of consecrating hosts began to spread. The wafers are preferred as they are easier to store and less crumbly than regular bread.
The use of unleavened bread is significant as it is seen as a symbol of the sinlessness of Christ. Leaven is considered symbolic of sin in the Bible, so the absence of leaven in the bread represents the absence of sin in Jesus. This belief is held by the Armenian Catholic Church and the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church, which also use unleavened bread for the Eucharist.
The small, round wafers used today are a result of the monks' desire to avoid the possibility of small crumbs being accidentally dispersed during the breaking of the bread. The original communion bread was likely a typical mid-eastern flatbread, which was baked on an open hearth. Over time, the wafers became thinner and lighter in colour, eventually taking on the form of the wafers we know today.
The use of communion wafers in the Catholic Church is also practical, as they are easier to store and distribute than regular bread. They can be stacked on top of the Mass chalice and provide a single portion, making them convenient for large groups of worshippers. Today, most communion wafers used in the United States are mass-produced by a single for-profit company, such as Cavanagh Altar Breads, which supplies wafers to various Christian denominations, including Roman Catholic churches.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, unleavened wafers are used in Catholic communion. The custom of using wafers during liturgical celebrations is ancient but not from the early Christian era. In the 8th century, the custom of consecrating hosts began to spread gradually, and by the 9th century, it was well established.
Communion wafers are made from wheat flour and water. Sometimes, holy water is sprinkled on the dough or kneaded into it.
Communion wafers are made by a variety of people and companies. Historically, nuns, monks, and bakers sanctioned by the church made communion wafers. Today, a single manufacturer, The Cavanagh Company, produces communion wafers for over 3/4 of Roman Catholic churches in the United States, Canada, England, and Australia.
