Ethan Walker
Infant communion, also known as paedocommunion, is the practice of giving the Eucharist to young children. While infant communion is less common in Western Christianity, it is standard in Eastern Christianity, including Eastern Catholic Churches. In the Orthodox Church, children can receive the Eucharist as soon as they are baptised, and this typically includes newborn babies. In Eastern Catholicism, infants are given a tiny morsel of the Eucharist when they are baptised. However, in the Latin-Rite of the Catholic Church, infant communion has fallen out of favour, with children usually receiving their First Communion around the age of seven or eight.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Infant communion in Eastern Catholic Churches | Allowed |
| Infant communion in Latin-Rite of the Catholic Church | Not allowed |
| Infant communion in Orthodox Church | Allowed |
| Infant communion in Western Christianity | Less common |
| Infant communion in Eastern Christianity | Common |
| Infant communion in Roman Catholic Church | Not allowed |
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What You'll Learn
- Infant communion is an ancient practice in the Eastern Rite
- The Latin-Rite of the Catholic Church does not favour infant communion
- The Eastern Orthodox Church permits communion for infants after baptism
- The Western Church changed its practice of infant communion for various reasons
- The Eastern Rite believes intellectual knowledge of the Eucharist is not a prerequisite for receiving it
Infant communion is an ancient practice in the Eastern Rite
Infant communion, or paedocommunion, is a practice that is standard throughout Eastern Christianity. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, infants receive communion as soon as possible after baptism and chrismation, usually at the next Divine Liturgy. This practice is also observed in the Eastern Catholic Churches, where infants are given the Eucharist, consisting of the Precious Blood or a small piece of consecrated Bread, known as the Body of Christ.
The ancient Church, including both its Western and Eastern branches, commonly practised infant communion immediately after baptism. In the Eastern Church, infants would continue to receive the Eucharist weekly, while in the Western Church, it was more typical for infants to only receive the Eucharist immediately after baptism and not again until they were older. Despite this difference, weekly infant communion was still practised in many parts of the Western Church.
The practice of infant communion in the Eastern Church is supported by several gospel verses, including Matthew 19:14 and Mark 10:14. Among the Church Fathers, Cyprian, Augustine, and Leo the Great explicitly favoured infant communion. In the Early Church, all attendees of the Liturgy of the Faithful were expected to receive communion, and parents were encouraged to present their children to receive it as well.
The Eastern Church's practice of infant communion differs from the Latin-Rite of the Catholic Church, which generally refrains from infant communion. Latin-Rite Catholics typically have a special ceremony when the child receives their First Communion, usually around the age of seven or eight. This aligns with the belief that children should have sufficient knowledge and understanding of the mystery of Christ before receiving the Eucharist.
The Eastern mind may perceive the Western practice of delaying communion as implying that baptised children are not in full communion with the rest of the congregation. However, the Western discipline developed to ensure that children fully understand the Eucharist before receiving it. Both the Eastern and Western Churches believe that anyone who is baptised into Christ and belongs to the true Apostolic Faith may receive the Eucharist, even infants.
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The Latin-Rite of the Catholic Church does not favour infant communion
Infant communion, or paedocommunion, is the practice of giving the Eucharist, often in the form of consecrated wine mingled with consecrated bread, to young children. This practice is standard throughout Eastern Christianity, where communion is given to all baptised members of the church, regardless of age.
However, the Latin-Rite of the Catholic Church does not favour infant communion. While there is no theological opposition to the idea, the Latin-Rite generally refrains from the practice. This is in accordance with the Code of Canon Law, which states that children must have "sufficient knowledge and careful preparation" before receiving communion, so that they understand the "mystery of Christ" and are able to receive the Eucharist "with faith and devotion". The Latin-Rite instead holds a special ceremony when the child is around seven or eight years old, when they receive their First Communion.
This difference in practice between the Eastern and Western churches is not a new development. In the ancient Church, both Eastern and Western, it was common for infants to receive communion immediately after baptism. However, in the East, this was often a weekly occurrence, whereas in the West, it was more typical for infants to only receive the Eucharist after their baptism, and not again until they were older. This changed definitively in the West at the Fourth Lateran Council and the Council of Trent, which taught that children must be able to understand the Eucharist before receiving it.
Despite this difference in practice, both disciplines are allowed to coexist in the Catholic Church and must be respected. Eastern Catholics are entitled to receive communion in any Catholic Church, and in the case of a Latin-Rite Mass, Canon 112 §2 of the Code of Canon Law states that "the practice, however prolonged, of receiving the sacraments according to the rite of another ritual Church sui iuris does not entail enrollment in that Church".
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The Eastern Orthodox Church permits communion for infants after baptism
In the Orthodox Church, any person of any age receives communion as soon as possible after baptism and chrismation, usually at the next Divine Liturgy. Young children are not usually required to fast or go to confession before communion until they are old enough to be aware of their sins, typically around eight to nine years old. The consecrated bread and wine are placed together in the chalice, and the priest administers communion with a small spoon. Infants typically receive a small amount of consecrated Blood of Christ (wine), which is mingled with the Body of Christ (bread); older children receive the consecrated Body of Christ.
The practice of infant communion in the Eastern Orthodox Church is supported by several gospel verses, including Matthew 19:14 and Mark 10:14. Among the Church Fathers, Cyprian, Augustine, and Leo the Great explicitly favoured infant communion. In the Early Church, it was common for infants to receive communion immediately after baptism, and this practice continues in the Eastern Orthodox Church today.
The Eastern Orthodox Church's teaching on infant communion differs from the discipline of the Western Church, including the Roman Catholic Church and some Protestant denominations, which generally delay the Eucharist until children reach the "age of reason" or sufficient knowledge and careful preparation so that they understand the mystery of Christ according to their capacity. However, it is important to note that both disciplines are allowed to coexist in the Catholic Church and must be respected.
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The Western Church changed its practice of infant communion for various reasons
Infant communion, or paedocommunion, is the practice of giving the Eucharist to young children. This practice is standard throughout Eastern Christianity, where communion is given to all baptised and chrismated church members regardless of age. In the Orthodox Church, for example, a person of any age receives communion as soon after baptism and chrismation as possible, usually at the next Divine Liturgy.
Another reason for the change was that, in ancient Rome, it was preferred that the bishop give confirmation, so it was likely that the bishop would baptise, chrismate, and commune infants all at once. The Western Church may have also wanted to ensure that children were old enough to understand the mystery of Christ and receive the body of Christ with faith and devotion.
While the practice of infant communion has fallen out of favour in the Western Church, it is still practiced in Eastern Churches to preserve the sacraments of initiation and to provide children with the special graces they need.
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The Eastern Rite believes intellectual knowledge of the Eucharist is not a prerequisite for receiving it
The Eastern Rite, or Eastern Orthodox Church, has long permitted infant communion, or paedocommunion. This is distinct from the Latin-Rite of the Catholic Church, which generally refrains from the practice. The Eastern Rite believes that intellectual knowledge of the Eucharist is not a prerequisite for receiving it. This belief is based on the understanding that the sacraments are eternally beyond comprehension, and that one can understand their functions without needing to grasp their nature.
The practice of infant communion in the Eastern Rite is supported by several gospel verses, including Matthew 19:14 and Mark 10:14, and was favoured by Church Fathers such as Cyprian, Augustine, and Leo the Great. In the Eastern Rite, all baptised and chrismated church members may receive communion, regardless of age. This is in accordance with the belief that anyone who is baptised into Christ and belongs to the true Apostolic Faith may receive the Eucharist, even a baby.
The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, followed by the Eastern Catholic Churches, permits infant communion, stating that the prescriptions of the liturgical books of each Church sui iuris are to be observed with suitable due precautions. This means that infants typically receive a small amount of the consecrated Blood of Christ (wine), mingled with the Body of Christ (bread).
The Latin-Rite of the Catholic Church, on the other hand, generally requires that children have sufficient knowledge and careful preparation before receiving their First Communion, usually around the age of seven or eight. This is based on the belief that children must be able to understand what they are receiving and give devotion to the Eucharist. However, it is important to note that both disciplines are allowed to coexist in the Catholic Church and must be respected.
In summary, the Eastern Rite's belief that intellectual knowledge of the Eucharist is not necessary for receiving it stems from the understanding that the sacraments are inherently mysterious and beyond full comprehension. This belief is supported by scriptural and historical precedent, and is an accepted practice within the Eastern Orthodox Church.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, babies can receive communion in Eastern Catholic Churches. This is a long-standing tradition in the Eastern Rite.
Infant communion was once practised by Roman Catholics for many centuries, but this changed in the early Middle Ages. The Fourth Lateran Council and the Council of Trent taught that children must understand what they are receiving and be able to give devotion to the Eucharist.
The Eastern Rite does not see intellectual knowledge of the Eucharist as a prerequisite for receiving it. The Eastern Orthodox Church teaches that all baptised members, regardless of age, should receive communion.
Yes, Eastern Catholic babies can receive communion in any Catholic Church.
