Home Forums Everything Else If Host falls to floor – Lutherans

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  • #1848
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Catholic Church procedure if host falls to floor

    “If a host or any particle should fall, it is to be picked up reverently. If any of the Precious Blood is spilled, the area where the spill occurred should be washed with water, and this water should then be poured into the sacrarium in the sacristy.”

    There is no mention of leaving the host on the floor, and in fact it should be picked up immediately, both out of respect for the Lord and lest it be trampled by unwary communicants.

    Nor is there any indication about dissolving the host. I would say that, if the host remains clean, then either the minister or the communicant should consume it directly.

    The process of dissolving the host in water may be used in special conditions if a host had been seriously soiled. Once the host is dissolved, the water may be poured directly upon the earth or down the sacrarium the special sacristy sink that leads to the earth, not to a drain.

    It should not be poured down a common sink.

    Lutheran church procedure

    Thanks for your question. You are correct in our understanding that when the words of Christ as spoken over the bread and wine, the body and blood of Christ are miraculously present for our forgiveness.(sounds almost like transubstantiation) What the Scriptures are less clear about is what remains after the service is over. Long ago, the practice was simply to consume whatever elements were left over so that no one could ask whether Christ was still sacramentally present.
    It occasionally happens that during distribution a wafer can fall to the ground. In those situations, the best thing to do is for the pastor simply to pick it up and eat it, lest he instead hide it somewhere and cause parishioners who witnessed the whole thing to wonder what “special” place the pastor will put that wafer. My first inclination would probably be to do the same thing in this situation. If the wafer isn’t overly soiled, I would suggest simply wiping off any dust and reverently consuming it. You won’t be taking communion at that moment, but will be disposing of it in a reverent way.

    #8940

    I had a situation a few weeks ago where I was flipping through the hymnal during mass and found a host stuck to one of the pages. I was astounded. I had to chip it off the page, bit by bit into little fragments. I wasn’t sure of exact procedure, but I knew the sacrarium goes right into the ground and not into the septic system so I chose to bring it home and bury it in an unused corner of the yard.

    #8943
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I am certain God will bless you abundantly for your deed.

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