E SACRIFICE OF THE MASS

THE BREAKING OF THE HOST. 127
together with Thy blessed Apostles Peter and
Paul (they are always connected in the services of the
because to him as St. Peter s
Church. Andrew is added,
brother, the Church pays special reverence), and all
the Saints, mercifully grant peace in our : days that
by the assistance of Thy mercy we may be always
free from sin, and secure from all disturbance (of
mind and body). The priest places the paten under the
Host, uncovers the Chalice, and makes a genuflexion ;
then, rising, he takes the Host, breaks It in the middle
over the Chalice, saying : through the same Jesus
Christ Thy Son our Lord.
THE BREAKING OF THE HOST.
The breaking of the Host is a ceremony of great
importance in the Mass. At Ordination the Bishop
reminds the priest to learn carefully before celebrating
Mass all that concerns the Consecration, the breaking of
the Host, and the Communion. The practice of breaking
the Host comes from the institution of Christ and the
example of the Apostles. SS. Matthew, Mark, and
Luke all refer to the breaking of bread. In the early
ages of the Church the celebration of the Mass and the
Holy Communion were called the breaking of bread.
(Acts ii. 42 ; xx. 7, ii ; i Cor. x. 16.)
Perhaps too the breaking of the Host brings before
our minds the violent Death of Jesus Christ though it
is needless to add that no bones were broken in His
Sacred Body.
By the Roman rite the consecrated Host was always
divided into three parts, and the priest consumes all
three according to the present practice. According to
ancient usage the Hosts were much larger than at