Communion in the Hand Versus Communion on the Tongue?

By Lavoisier Fernandes –

In the Catholic community discourse the typical hot-button issues are abortion, inter-religious dialogue, celibacy, euthanasia, and gay marriage. Nevertheless, there is as well one contentious issue that provokes a strong reaction among well-intended Catholics (on both sides of the discussion) is should the reception of Holy Communion be on the tongue or in the hand. This touchy issue can at times become a very divisive issue (exacerbated up with social media and the once upon a time Covid pandemic) in the Church of today which is unfortunately ironic, because the word communion literally means joining together in a common practice, to commemorate the death of Christ: ” do this in remembrance of me”, and to indicate and to promote the communion of believers with Christ.

Early practice of the Church

Some have contended that Jesus gave communion in the hand at the last supper. Whilst some have countered this claim that regardless the Apostles were ordained priests that night and were permitted to touch the Eucharist. Communion in the hand was actually the primary practice in the earlier centuries of the Church (Norm till 500-900 AD).It would be tedious to cite all the references but let us look at what three of the early Fathers of the Church had to say about this practice.

St. Dionysius of Alexandria (dated 265 AD), writing to one of the popes of his time, speaks emphatically of “one who has stood by the table and has extended his hand to receive the Holy Food”.

So also, this is seen in the Catechetical lectures of St. Cyril of Jerusalem (around 313-386 AD) where he says:

“In approaching therefore, come not with your wrists extended, or your fingers spread; but make your left hand a throne for the right, as for that which is to receive a King. And having hollowed your palm, receive the Body of Christ, saying over it, Amen. So then after having carefully hallowed your eyes by the touch of the Holy Body, partake of it; giving heed lest you lose any portion thereof; for whatever you lose, is evidently a loss to you as it were from one of your own members. For tell me, if any one gave you grains of gold, would you not hold them with all carefulness, being on your guard against losing any of them, and suffering loss? Will you not then much more carefully keep watch, that not a crumb falls from you of what is more precious than gold and precious stones? ”

Theodore of Mopsuestia(around 390 AD) says “To receive the Sacrament, which is given, a person stretches out his right hand, and under it he places the left hand. In this he shows a great fear, and since the hand that is stretched out holds a higher rank, it is the one that is extended for receiving the body of the King, and the other hand bears and brings its sister hand, while not thinking that it is playing the role of a servant, as it is equal with it in honour, on account of the bread of the King, which is also borne by it.”

The Synod of Rouen (about 650 AD) passed to disallow communion in the hand, scholars are not clear why the transition took place but after 900 AD, the Church eventually moved to disallow Communion in the hand completely, and “on the tongue” has been the universal norm of the Church for centuries till the 20^th Century.

Around the 1900’s to 1969

A handful of countries started to revive Communion in hand – unfortunately, in complete disobedience to the Church’s clear teaching on this matter. Believing this form of Communion to be a return to the primary practice of the early Church, they reasoned that it should actually be the preferred form of Communion. This led to a theological study under St. Pope Paul VI’s papacy after which Memoriale Domini (indult for communion in the hand, 29 May 1969) by  St. Pope Paul VI was issued , summarizing all the historical scholarship and theological study at the Church’s disposal on this subject, concluding that the pre-Vatican II practice, which was clearly in use for a much longer period of time than either the practice described by St. Cyril or the modern practice (or both put together), retains value as a way of emphasizing the special status and value of the eucharistic presence of our Lord and that the manner of reception should not become an occasion of division in the church.

Superiority or inward disposition?

Let me make a disclosure here firstly – I love receiving Jesus in the hand, and it is a discipline that I have grown into especially since its introduction at least to me in the late 1990’s. Secondly, I have always felt humbled, found it something natural to receive Our Lord in the hand (as St. Cyril prescribes) although always un-worthy. At the same time, I have friends, my own dad and also see frequent parishioners in the congregation who seem holier through their silent acts of charity, service in the church and who exclusively prefer receiving on the tongue. I am not arguing for communion in the hand per se (although it is my preferred practice) should be the accepted norm and neither do I argue for intrinsic superiority of one over the other. Interior dispositions can often times gets ignored in these discussions by making posture and norm of receiving the be-all and end-all. It is the attitude and approach in our hearts, and our faith. Jesus applied that to all of faith in the Sermon on the Mount and it was usually the underlying theme in his denunciations of the Pharisees in Matthew 23:25: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.”

Was the change introduced by St Pope Paul VI the cause for the faith crises of today?

I would not say so and we could not blame the faith crises solely on the norm of receiving holy communion which is merely a symptom of a bigger problem. We have also stopped dressing up well for Church, people have stopped singing in Church, abstaining from for food or drink for atleast one hour before receiving the Eucharist, stopped wearing the head covering and people do not even go for Sunday mass regularly every week anymore. These are all symptoms all pointing back to a larger faith crisis and we cannot blame the downfall of Christianity on a symptom. For sure there needs to be proper catechesis on the reception of communion more reverently. So instead of fuelling up every divisive feud within the Church and only driving people away we should be obedient to what the Church has discerned.

Obedience and focusing on the miracle of the Eucharist.

So, we can fall into this pharisaic trap where we place outward piety, norm above inward disposition. Debating Communion in the hand versus Communion on the tongue can continue with theological arguments back and forth. But all too often, it has become a way, on both sides, of judging people we do not know. In doing so, we can distract ourselves not only from the miracle what is happening in front of us, but also from the miracle that is happening alongside of us. The Church accepts both preferred practices of receiving holy Communion. I trust in the wisdom of the Church who have discerned and permitted both practices. One norm is not superior over the other. There will be a time though when this discipline (not doctrine) might be developed, changed, or altered and if that is the case then as faithful Catholics, we are to adhere to what the church presents us as the best way for us to practice our faith. We should faithfully comply in obedience. Until such time let us not go beyond what the church has permitted.

The essence of Holy Communion is to sacramentally receive Our Lord Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, into our bodies. Whether by mouth or hand (with reverence whatever the norm) the essence remains the same.

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Lavoisier Fernandes, born and raised in Goa, is currently based in West London. His faith is “work in progress”- and a lifelong journey. He has always been fascinated by the Catholic faith, thanks to his Salesian schooling. He’s passionate about podcasting, theology, the papacy, and volunteering. He has hosted ‘Talking Faith’ series for Heavens Road FM, Catholic Radio, connecting with ordinary men and women within the Catholic faith, other faiths and examining issues affecting both the Church and society. He has also been a host on Shalom World Catholic TV for two episodes of the ‘Heart Talk’ series. He presently contributes for the Goa Diocesan magazine Renevacao 

References:

1. Catholic Encyclopedia:Holy Communion.
2. Cyril of Jerusalem, myst. 5.21, trans. Leo P. McCauley FotC 64 (Catholic University of America Press: Washington, DC, 2000 [1970])
3. Theodore of Mopsuestia, catech. 6, trans. Alphonse Mingana (Gorgias Press: Piscataway, NJ, 2009 [1933]).
4. Memoriale Domini (Indult for communion in the hand, 29 May 1969) by Pope Paul VI
5. Matthew 23:25(NIV)
6. Catholic Encyclopedia: Communion under both kinds.
7. Klein, E. (2022). Early Christian Communion in the Hand. [online] Church Life Journal. Available at:https://churchlifejournal.nd.edu/articles/early-christian-communion-in-the-hand/#_ftn21 [Accessed 21 Sep. 2023].