Sarah Mitchell
The Catholic Church has historically practised communion in one kind, with the bread mystically transformed into the Body of Christ, and the wine into the Blood of Christ. The practice of reserving the chalice for the priest emerged during the Middle Ages, and was solidified in 1415 by the Council of Constance, which forbade anyone but the priest to partake of the chalice. In 1562, the Council of Trent reserved the issue for papal determination, and in 1564, Pope Pius IV granted German bishops permission to administer communion in both kinds, though this was withdrawn the following year. In 1963, the Sacrosanctum Concilium document on liturgy allowed communion in both kinds, and today, the decision to administer communion in one or two kinds is left to the bishop's discretion.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Communion in Catholic practice | The Eucharist or communion is made available to the lay congregation that attends public masses. |
| Communion in one kind | The congregation may only be offered communion in one kind (the bread which, according to dogma, is mystically transformed into the Body of Christ). |
| Communion in two kinds | The other "kind" (the chalice of wine mystically transformed into the Blood of Christ) is reserved and consumed by the priest celebrating the Eucharist. |
| Communion in two kinds in history | In the Early Church, Communion was ordinarily administered and received under both kinds. |
| Communion in two kinds in the Middle Ages | The practice of reserving the chalice for the priest emerged during the Middle Ages. |
| Communion in two kinds in the 16th century | In 1562, the Council of Trent reserved the issue for papal determination. |
| Communion in two kinds in the 20th century | Catholic liturgical reformers pressed for a return to Communion under both kinds. |
| Communion in two kinds in the 21st century | In 2020, due to the pandemic, the practice of giving Communion under both kinds was restrained. |
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What You'll Learn
Communion under both kinds
In the Early Church, it was common for Communion to be administered and received under both kinds, as mentioned in the Bible by Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:28. However, side-by-side with this practice, there were also instances where Communion was given under only one kind, such as when people took the Eucharist home after Sunday worship or when it was brought to the sick.
During the Middle Ages, a tradition emerged where the chalice of wine was reserved for the priest, and this practice was recognised by many authors as having the force of law. This became a highly contested issue during the time of the Hussites, a religious group in the 15th century that sought various reforms within the Catholic Church. One of their key demands was communion of both kinds for everyone, as they believed that both the bread and the wine were necessary for a valid Eucharist.
In 1414, Jacob of Mies, a pastor in Prague, began administering communion in both kinds, and his position was known as utraquism. The Council of Constance in 1415 condemned this practice and forbade anyone but the priest from partaking in the chalice. However, this ruling was not always strictly enforced, and there were instances where moderate Hussites were allowed to administer communion in both kinds. In 1433, during the Hussite Wars, communion under both kinds was permitted for Utraquists in Bohemia, but this was later banned again in 1627 and only allowed again in 1781 under the Patent of Toleration.
The issue of communion under both kinds continued to be debated over the centuries, with Protestant Reformers like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Huldrych Zwingli also challenging the Catholic Church's stance. In 1562, the Council of Trent referred the matter to the pope for determination, and subsequent popes made special provisions for persons other than the priest to receive Communion under both kinds. However, by this time, the practice was already regarded by many Catholics as a 'Protestant' custom, which hardened opposition to its adoption.
It wasn't until 1963, with the promulgation of Sacrosanctum concilium, the main Vatican II document on liturgy, that Communion under both kinds was officially allowed in the Catholic Church. Paragraph 55 of this document strongly commends the practice, stating that it is a "more perfect form of participation in the Mass". Today, the decision to grant Communion under both kinds is left to the discretion of bishops, and many countries have given blanket authorisation for this practice.
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Utraquism
At the time, the practice among Roman Catholics was for only the priests to partake of the consecrated wine, the Precious Blood. Jacob taught that communion should be provided and taken under both kinds, arguing that as a precept of Christ, it could not be changed by the church. He further argued that only those who received communion in both kinds belonged to the church of Christ.
The Utraquists were a moderate faction of the Hussites who generally endorsed transubstantiation and Catholicity. They were also known as the Prague Party or the Calixtines, from the Latin "calix" meaning chalice, their emblem. In 1434, the Utraquists joined forces with the Catholic Czech forces to defeat the more radical Taborites at the Battle of Lipany. This led to an agreement of mutual accommodation between Catholics and Utraquists in 1485, ending the Hussite Wars.
In the 16th century, much of the Utraquist population in the Bohemian lands adopted pre-Lutheran Protestant Unity of the Brethren and eventually Lutheranism, although the Utraquist Church remained strong in the cities. After the Battle of White Mountain in 1620, the Utraquists, along with all other Protestant sects, were outlawed in Bohemia. Communion under both kinds was again not made available until the Josephinian Patent of Toleration in 1781.
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The Hussite Wars
The wars ended in 1434 when the moderate Utraquist faction of the Hussites defeated the radical Taborite faction at the Battle of Lipany. The Hussites agreed to submit to the authority of the King of Bohemia and the Roman Catholic Church and were allowed to practice their somewhat variant rite. A compromise agreement, known as the "Compactata" of Prague, was reached between the moderate Hussites and Rome, granting communion in both kinds to all who desired it but with the understanding that Christ was entirely present in each kind. This agreement lasted until 1462 when Pope Pius II declared it null and void and prohibited communion in both kinds.
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The Council of Trent
The council was initially scheduled to be held in Mantua, but due to war between France and Charles V, it was postponed indefinitely in 1539. Pope Paul III initiated internal Church reforms during this period. The council eventually convened in Trent in 1545, right before Luther's death. It was the last Catholic ecumenical council held outside Rome and the second convened in the territory of the Holy Roman Empire.
During the Middle Ages, the practice emerged of reserving the chalice for the priest, and it was recognised as a tradition with legal force. In the lead-up to the council, there was debate among Catholics about whether both bread and wine should be offered to the laity. This debate was influenced by the Hussites, who advocated for communion in both kinds. In 1414, Jacob of Mies, a pastor in Prague, began administering communion in both kinds, a position known as utraquism or "bothism." The Council of Constance in 1415 condemned this practice and forbade anyone but the priest from partaking in the chalice.
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Sacrosanctum Concilium
The Catholic Church has a long history of internal and external conflict over the administration of communion, specifically regarding who is permitted to receive the Eucharist in "both kinds" (bread and wine).
In the Middle Ages, a tradition emerged where only the priest celebrating the Eucharist would consume the wine, which, like the bread, is mystically transformed into the Blood of Christ. This practice was recognised by many authors as a tradition with the force of law. In 1414, Jacob of Mies, a pastor in Prague, began administering communion in both kinds, coining the term "utraquism", or "bothism". Utraquism became associated with the Hussites, a group that advanced a larger set of grievances against the Catholic Church. In 1415, the Council of Constance condemned utraquism and forbade anyone but the priest from partaking in the chalice of wine. However, Catholic authorities sometimes allowed moderate Hussites to administer communion in both kinds, temporarily splitting them from the larger Hussite movement.
The issue of communion in both kinds remained contested, and in 1562, the Council of Trent reserved the issue for papal determination. Subsequent popes made special provisions for persons other than the celebrant to receive communion in both kinds. Despite these exceptions, communion in both kinds was generally seen as a Protestant practice, hardening Catholic opposition to its implementation.
It was not until 1963, with the promulgation of Sacrosanctum Concilium, that the Catholic Church officially allowed communion in both kinds for all Catholics. Sacrosanctum Concilium, or "Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy", is the main Vatican II document on liturgy. Paragraph 55 of this document strongly commends the "more perfect form of participation in the Mass", where the faithful, after the priest's communion, receive the Lord's body from the same sacrifice.
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Frequently asked questions
Catholics stopped separating communion in 1963. Sacrosanctum Concilium, the main Vatican II document on liturgy, allowed communion in both kinds. However, the permission of the bishop is still required for regular use of communion in both kinds.
Separating communion refers to the practice of withholding the chalice of wine from the congregation during the Eucharist. The consecrated bread and wine are considered to be mystically transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ, respectively.
Communion was separated due to the belief that the presence of both bread and wine was preferable but not necessary for the ceremony. The practice of reserving the chalice for the priest emerged during the Middle Ages.
The debate over separating communion began in 1414 when Jacob of Mies, a pastor in Prague, started administering communion in both kinds. This position was known as utraquism, or "bothism". The Council of Constance in 1415 condemned utraquism and forbade anyone but the priest from partaking in the chalice.
