www.byzcath.org Forums Mysteries: The Life of Worship The Other Sacramental Mysteries Communion by tincture

What is the history of receiving communion by tincture in the Eastern Catholic Church? I recall reading that receiving communion by tincture was introduced into many Eastern Catholic churches in the early 20th century. Was this a reintroduction when many churches were trying to de-latinize or was it a practice that was always present in the church?

You must mean "intinction". As far as I know, only the Melkites do this on a regular basis, encouraged by French missionaries worried about "les microbes". The practice seems to date from no earlier than the last quarter of the 19th century.

I don't know where the practice comes from but it is the standard procedure in the PNCC and common in Episcopal churches I have been in. I also attended mass at Roman Catholic church in Houston, TX, that was obviously very conservative and traditional but still a diocesan parish where they used intincture. I thought it was forbidden in RC churches but they certainly did it there.

It's also the practice of the Maronite Church.

It is not. It is forbidden for one of the faithful to intinct the Host himself, or to take the sacrament by intinction into his hand. In Roman churches, the legitimate practice of intinction is considerably more rare than the illegitimate practice of self-intinction.

The "General Instruction on the Roman Missal" in use for the Novus Ordo Mass in the Roman Church also provides, amazingly enough, for reception of the Precious Blood through straws, or fistulae...I do not know if this is ever actually done anywhere but it's on their liturgical menu. Apparently there is one fistula for each communicant. After reception of the Sacred Host, the communicant is handed one of these tubes and, placing it into the contents of the chalice, drinks a sip from it; then places it into a container of water, and returns to his/her place.

I understand the Pope of Rome also received the Precious Blood in this fashion during papal solemn High Masses before Vat. 2. I have seen a picture of Pope Pius 12 receiving It this way.

Constrained by a social obligation, a few years ago I attended a memorial service for one of my co-workers. It was conducted here: http://www.cathedralofhope.com/ I felt like I had somehow fallen down the rabbit hole as in "Alice in Wonderland". Almost everything about the service, to say nothing of the church itself, astonished me beyond words. They had a "Lord's Supper" service in conjunction with it and using Roman-style altar breads, they were dipped into wine before being given to the communicants on the tongue.

I also noticed they had a tabernacle off to the side. I was curious about what they did with it and so, as brazen as brass, marched right on up to one of the vested priestesses on duty and asked her, "what's that over there?" In a patronizing tone she informed me it was called a "tabernacle" and that in the Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches, the communion breads were kept there so they could be brought to the sick people.

So I continued, "What do you people here use it for? What do you folks keep in it?" By this time, she was growing irritated and told me, "Nothing." So I asked her, "If you don't keep anything in it, why do you have it?" and she rather crossly replied, "Some people just like to look at it."

So much for ecumenical dialogue that day with her. Oh, well.

Romanian Greek Catholics use a form of intinction. Don't know how they got there. I believe the Orthodox partake of the Holy Mysteries normally. Plus the Romanian Greek Catholics use the crust - they scoop out the nice bread in the middle and cut up into long strips the hard crust of the loaf. Needless to say, they do not use a stamped Prosphora. Not sure what they do with the Proskomidia prayers - probably say them but without the corresponding actions -like some in the UGCC using "croutons"/chastytsi.

Yes, it surprises me that self-intinction would even be considered by someone, but I have heard of instances where individuals have tried (seems very protestant).

My understanding is that communion by intinction can only be given by a priest and not a lay eucharistic minister and never received by hand under any circumstances. As far as I know this would be the case in either a RC or a EC church.

JW%%:

Christ is in our midst!!

Communion by intinction can be given even by Extraordinary Ministers. I have had experience doing that. You are correct, however, in that it can never be given into the hand.

There is a tradition of the communicant dipping what he/she receives into the chalice rather than drinking from it in Episcopal, Lutheran, and Methodist churches I have worked in.

Bob

Messy, that.

One RC parish I attend periodically has distributed communion by intinction for as long as the present priest has been there. The receipiant has an option to receive it by intinction, the individual species by tongue or by hand. If they receive by intinction they are to make the St. Andrew cross across their chest as they approach the priest by crossing their arms to the opposing shoulder.

Putting the Holy Body in the Holy Blood, as most Byzantine Churches do, is intinction. The Holy Gifts are simply delivered by means of a spoon.