Why Are Communion Wafers Different From Other Wafers?

Question

Are they made with like blessed water or something?

I don't mean to sound crazy or stupid, i just dont understand it... lol.

[Please dont be mean.. I just want to know the difference if any]
[I've never been to church before, I'm an agnostic/athiest]

Answer 1

I was raised in a non-religious home, but I made the decision to become Catholic when I was 22 years old. That was 14 years ago, and I still enjoy learning new things about the Catholic faith.

Catholics (the first Christians) and Eastern Orthodox Christians believe that at the time of consecration, the essential substance of the bread and wine change to the body and blood of Jesus (although in an unbloodied way and veiled under the appearance of bread and wine). This doctrine is called transubstantiation.

For a valid consecration to happen, the priest has to be validly ordained by a bishop who is either in communion with the Pope or with the Eastern Orthodox Church. It's an impossibility for a female to be validly ordained as a priest.* The bread used has to be unleavened bread with no ingredients other than wheat flour. Unleavened bread is what was always used for the Jewish Passover, and Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

In the year 1517, the first Protestant, an ex-monk named Martin Luther, believed this when he broke away from the Church and started the Protestant movement. Those first Protestants were called Lutherans. But now those who identify themselves as Lutheran don't believe what their founder believed about the Eucharist. Instead, they believe in consubstantiation. This means they believe that Jesus is really present but not IN the Eucharist but BESIDE the Eucharist.

Most modern day Protestants slipped even further away from the original belief about the Eucharist and reject the belief in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist all out. Many either don't have it or they falsely believe that they can use pepsi and chips and it wouldn't make a difference.

*
Why Females Can't Be Priests
http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=91410&highlight=Women+Priests
Apostolic Letter "Ordinatio Sacerdotalis" of John Paul II
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_22051994_ordinatio-sacerdotalis_en.html

Christ's Real Presence in the Holy Eucharist
http://www.ewtn.com/faith/teachings/euchmenu.htm
http://www.catholic.com/library/Real_Presence.asp
http://www.therealpresence.org/

Code of Canon Law
http://www.intratext.com/X/ENG0017.htm

Answer 2

top 10 flavors of communion wafers: 10. Burning Bush Banana 9. Sinful Cinamon 8. mom Mary's Mint 7. Ponchas Pilate's Peanut 6. Babe-in-a-Manger's Butternut 5. clever-adult adult males's Watermellon 4. Sacrificial Spearmint 3. Biblical Bing Cherry 2. Literal Lemon and the variety one communion wafer style is.................... a million. Holy Ghost Grape

Answer 3

They are made of the same things that other wafers are made of. The don't become sanctified until they are blessed by the Priest or Min ester. I to am an agnostic. I have many questions. People like me are called cafeteria Catholics because I follow what I think is the right way. I don't call myself a cafeteria Catholic. I am a Library Catholic. That means I have read many books on my religion and have formed my own opinion

Answer 4

Communion bread of any kind is unleavened bread, meaning it doesn't use yeast. (There are sometimes other guidelines too, depending on which demonination or sect of Christianity.) The wafers are mass produced and based on this principle - no yeast or rising agent.

For Catholics at least, they are nothing more than tasteless rounds (in my personal opinion) until they are consecrated (special kind of blessing that makes the sacred) during the mass. After that they are, well, still tasteless, but more importantly, they are considered to be the Body of Christ.

Good question... no harm in asking!

Answer 5

Communion Wafers, like other Christian rites represent the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for the sins of the world. The wafer, or bread, represent the body of Jesus that was broken for our sins. I am glad that you have not closed your mind to learning about things you do not know about at this time of your life. Just stay open minded and learn about many things.
Jesus loved people so much, that he died to set them free. I wish people had a little more love in them. Good luck in your learning and future adventures in life.

Answer 6

Communion is out of line with the scriptures. The memorial of Christ that he himself established, took unleavened bread and broke it, passing it among his disciples, he said take,eat, this means my body. Unleavened bread contained no yeast or salt or anything that would make it rise. It represented his sinless body. This is done once per year on the date that corresponds to Nisan 14 at sunset, not daily,weekly or monthly, but once a year as established by Christ following the passover which was celebrated once a year. It replaced the passover for Christians.

Answer 7

Communion wafers have been blessed. That's about it, unless you believe in transubstantiation, which is where you believe these pieces of bread and the wine actually become the flesh and blood of Jesus during Mass.Creepy, isn't it?And they call us Wiccans sick! Hmph!

Answer 8

The wine is Welsh's, and the wafers are just crackers (in most cases). The food and drink is not what is important, but the ritual and prayer that goes along with it.

Answer 9

The traditional ones are made of very thin, light, unleavened bread that melts in your mouth. But they can use any kind of bread. Sometimes -- in some churches all the time and sometimes just for special occasions, they use regular loaves.

Answer 10

They are just a thin wafer, but when the priest blesses and consecrates them, they transubstantiate into the body of Christ.