How did Jesus Christ distribute the Holy Bread to the Apostles and disciples? In the hands or in the mouth? What was the practice when bread was used before the host was introduced?

What is the difference between touching the Consecrated Host with the hands or with the tongue? Both are part of the body. The substance of the Holy Host has to go into the stomach and be digested. That is what Holy Communion means as far as I was taught. In fact I was also taught that the Holy Host ought to be swallowed and not let to melt in the mouth.

Many things have changed with time. Years ago only an ordinary deacon, a priest could touch or take hold of the Ciborium or even open the Tabernacle. If it happened that a Holy Host fell off the Ciborium and on the ground, the place where it came to rest was immediately covered with a bell and afterwards the ground was washed.

Some are in favour of the Holy Host being received on the tongue in preference to the hand to avoid abuse. This could be taken care of if the communicant is not allowed to move from in front of the priest before the Holy Host is put into the mouth. Why the hurry to move on? This eliminates abuse.

In this way the priest avoids to spoil his fingers with people’s saliva. Spoiling fingers with people’s saliva happens every time a Holy Host is deposited on a tongue. When this happens the next Holy Host will be touched with unclean fingers still smeared with saliva.

Is it not a more appropriate and cleaner way for the priest to distribute Holy Communion in the hand?

Francis Farrugia

Ta’ Xbiex