Anyone know what communion wafers are made of?

Question

I go to church on Sundays, and our church offers communion in the form of communion wafers. Other churches I have been to use matzo crackers or even bread. When I was little, I used to think the wafers were made of paper, because that's what they taste like!

I know that the wafers are supposed to represent "the Body of Christ," but I was wondering if anybody knew exactly what communion wafers are made of. If you think about it, there is probably a factory somewhere in America where they make communion wafers! So, any information on the ingredients or the make-up of communion wafers would be most helpful.

Answer 1

Wheat flour and water. That is the specification for the Catholic Church. No additional ingredients are legitimately recognized. Occasionally, there will be a "special" liturgy (like on Holy Thursday) when the local community will use a more natural unleavened bread with some kind of binder to minimize crumbing, but although that Eucharist is considered valid, Rome does not consider it "licit" (approved).

There are controversies in some dioceses over Catholics who have celiac disease and can't digest wheat gluten. Some bishops are sympathetic, but the official policy from Rome is: wheat only. So such people cannot receive communion without getting sick.

As for the texture and manufacture of these slick little babies, there are factories that make them, using special irons, presses or stamps. Since its a very specialized business, often a monastery or convent will do it to raise money for their other operations. The recipe and processing is designed to produce a low-moisture, long-life product that fractures cleanly, all desireable elements in something with serious theological significance.

Answer 2

I've always wanted to know that. When I was little, like 8 or 9 after I baptized as a Catholic and was doing Cathesism to do the 1st communion I asked to one of my teachers about that and she told me that they had a tree of it in the gardens of the church. Other than palms, I never ever saw a tree for something else.... so I still wonder.

Answer 3

White Unleavened Bread, basically all the ingredients of generic bread without yeast.

Answer 4

Most communicion wafers are made from a simple unleavened recipe (flour, water, and vegetable shortening).

In fact you can buy them here at this link:

http://www.kingdom.com/category.aspx?categoryID=430

Answer 5

In the latin rite of the Catholic Church (to which most Catholics belong), the only valid and licit ingredients are wheat flour and water.

Answer 6

The transfigurative metamorphosis of Jesus' flesh into bread as it reads in the Bible during the Last Supper,

1 Corinthians 11:24-26

24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me."

25In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me."

26For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Answer 7

Unleavened wheat bread.

Answer 8

They are really dehydrated pancakes. Haven't you always wondered why they always have pancake breakfasts after mass? They just add water to the leftover holy bread and charge $5 for it.

Answer 9

The are made by Hosties Chip Factories, you could also order them from Wonder Bread.
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http://www.concordiasupply.com/communionware.html

Answer 10

unleavened wheat - its basically bread that hasn't risen