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Communion under both kinds

Communion under both kinds, also termed Communion in two species, denotes the reception of the Eucharist by the faithful in its dual forms of consecrated unleavened bread and consecrated wine during the Roman Rite Mass, thereby more fully signifying the unity of Christ's body and blood as instituted at the Last Supper.^[1] This practice prevailed in the early Christian Church, where scriptural precedents from the Gospels and St. Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians (11:23-29) describe consumption of both elements, though no divine mandate required both for validity or completeness due to the theological principle of concomitance—affirming Christ's full presence under either species alone.^[2] By the 12th century in the Latin West, lay reception shifted predominantly to the host only, driven by pragmatic factors including the avoidance of spillage, facilitation of infrequent Communion, and prevention of abuse amid growing Eucharistic devotion focused on sight and reservation.^[3] The restriction intensified post-13th century, with the Church reserving both kinds chiefly for clergy, while maintaining that laity incur no spiritual deficit from one kind, as each contains the entire sacrament.^[4] This custom faced sharp contestation during the Protestant Reformation, where reformers like Martin Luther insisted on both kinds as essential for lay participation, prompting the Council of Trent's 16th session (1551) to dogmatically affirm via canons that no precept of God or Church necessity binds recipients to both species, and that withholding the chalice from laity does not violate Christ's institution.^[5] Trent's doctrines underscored the Church's authority to regulate sacramental modes for pastoral efficacy, rejecting claims of deficiency in single-species reception as erroneous.^[3] The Second Vatican Council's Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963) authorized bishops to permit both kinds selectively—such as at Masses for priests, religious, or special occasions—to amplify the sacrament's symbolic fullness without impugning Trent's teachings, leading to phased implementation via papal instructions in 1965 and 1970 that expanded lay access while mandating careful logistics to avert irreverence.^[6] Today, norms from bodies like the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops encourage its use judiciously, prioritizing reverence and catechesis, though it remains optional and not normative, with single-species Communion predominant to ensure orderly distribution amid large assemblies.^[1] Debates persist over its frequency, with advocates citing enhanced sign-value and critics noting heightened risks of mishandling or dilution of focus on transubstantiation, yet empirical pastoral data affirm its viability under strict protocols without compromising doctrinal integrity.^[7]

Theological and Scriptural Foundations

Biblical Accounts of the Last Supper

The Last Supper, as the institution of the Eucharist, is described in the Synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, as well as in the Apostle Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians, which provides the earliest written account dating to approximately 53-54 AD.^[8] In each narrative, Jesus shares both bread and wine with his disciples during a Passover meal, explicitly distributing the elements to all present and commanding their reception, establishing a pattern of communal participation under both kinds.^[9] These accounts emphasize the sacramental words of consecration—"This is my body" for the bread and "This is my blood of the covenant" for the cup—indicating the full sacrificial offering of Christ's body and blood.^[10] In Matthew 26:26-29, Jesus takes bread, gives thanks, breaks it, and distributes it to the disciples with the instruction, "Take, eat; this is my body," followed by the cup: "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."^[11] Mark 14:22-24 parallels this closely, with Jesus breaking the bread and saying, "Take; this is my body," then offering the cup: "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many."^[12] Both Synoptic accounts imply collective reception by the Twelve, as the imperatives "take" and "drink... all of you" address the group without exception.^[13] Luke's account in 22:15-20 includes additional details, such as Jesus' expression of desire to eat the Passover before suffering, and features two cups: one of thanksgiving before the bread and a second after, with the consecratory cup declared as "the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you."^[14] Textual variants exist in some manuscripts regarding the cup's position, but the majority tradition and earliest witnesses affirm the distribution of both elements to the disciples.^[15] Paul, recounting what he received "from the Lord," reinforces this in 1 Corinthians 11:23-25: Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you," and likewise the cup after supper, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood."^[16] Paul's warning in verse 27 against unworthy reception of "the bread or the cup" further underscores the normative expectation of both in early practice.^[17]

Doctrine of Concomitance and Sacramental Unity

The doctrine of concomitance holds that in the Eucharist, the entire Christ—body, blood, soul, and divinity—is substantially present under each consecrated species of bread and wine, such that the reception of either species alone conveys the full sacramental grace without diminution.^[18] This teaching rests on the indivisibility of Christ's glorified body, which cannot be fractionated or separated in the sacramental mode of existence, ensuring that what is true of the principal element (the body under bread) accompanies the other by real, inseparable union rather than mere symbolic representation.^[19] Theologians articulate this as arising from the hypostatic union and the beatific state of Christ's risen humanity, where blood inherently accompanies body as in living flesh, precluding any partial presence.^[20] Thomas Aquinas systematized concomitance in the Summa Theologica (ca. 1265–1274), distinguishing sacramental presence (directly confected under the species) from concomitant presence (arising from Christ's integral reality), and arguing that denying the blood's presence under bread would imply a separation impossible to the incarnate Word.^[19]^[21] He further contended that the priest's reception under both kinds fulfills the ministerial consecration, while the faithful's reception under one suffices for spiritual nourishment, as "nothing is lost by the body being received without the blood."^[22] The Council of Trent formally defined this in its Twenty-First Session (July 16, 1562), affirming against Reformation challenges that communion under one kind is valid and complete, rooted in concomitance, and rejecting any necessity of both species for salvation.^[23]^[4] Sacramental unity complements concomitance by emphasizing the Eucharist as a singular mystery, not divisible into disparate elements requiring dual reception for wholeness; the bread and wine constitute one sacrifice and one communion, symbolizing Christ's unified paschal offering.^[24] This unity derives from the Last Supper's institution, where Christ commanded "do this" over the combined elements as a totum, and underscores that partial reception does not fracture the sacrament's efficacy, preserving the Church's authority to regulate modes amid pastoral needs like accident prevention.^[25] Trent's canons explicitly guard this by anathematizing claims that both kinds are divinely mandated or that one kind withholds grace, thereby upholding the sacrament's intrinsic oneness against utraquist demands.^[4] Together, these doctrines affirm that while both kinds enhance the sign's fullness—evoking the banquet's communal aspect—concomitance and unity render one kind sacramentally integral, aligning practice with metaphysical reality.^[2]

Historical Development

Early Church Practices (1st-11th Centuries)

In the apostolic era and throughout the first millennium, the reception of the Eucharist under both kinds—consecrated bread and wine—was the standard practice for the faithful in public liturgical assemblies across both Eastern and Western churches, reflecting the institution at the Last Supper as described in the New Testament. This norm is evident from scriptural injunctions against partaking unworthily of the cup alongside the bread (1 Corinthians 11:27-29) and is corroborated by early patristic witnesses who presuppose the distribution of both elements to participants.^[3] Exceptions existed for practical reasons, such as administering bread alone as viaticum to the sick or intincted bread (dipped in wine) to children, but these did not alter the general custom in communal worship.^[3]^[26] Second-century sources provide direct descriptions of the rite. Justin Martyr, in his First Apology (c. 155 AD), recounts that following the eucharistic prayer over bread, wine, and water, deacons distribute "the Eucharistic elements" to those present and carry them to the absent, indicating plural species received by communicants.^[27] Similarly, the Apostolic Tradition attributed to Hippolytus of Rome (c. 215 AD) details the bishop breaking the bread and reciting "The bread of heaven in Christ Jesus" over portions distributed to presbyters, deacons, and laity, followed by the mixed cup with "The cup of life in Christ Jesus," after which all respond "Amen," confirming sequential reception of both kinds by the assembly.^[26] By the third and fourth centuries, the practice persisted amid regional variations. Tertullian (c. 200 AD) and Cyprian of Carthage (c. 250 AD) reference bread reserved for private or home communion in North Africa, implying wine's accompaniment in full liturgical settings, while public masses involved both species.^[3] Cyril of Jerusalem, in his Mystagogical Catecheses (c. 350 AD), instructs catechumens on receiving the "Body of Christ" (bread) in the hand, making the sign of the cross, then approaching the chalice for the "Blood of Christ" (wine), cautioning against spilling and emphasizing reverence for each species separately. Basil the Great (c. 370 AD) and Jerome (c. 400 AD) affirm the custom in Egypt, Alexandria, and Rome, where both elements were offered to the laity.^[3] Through the early medieval period up to the 11th century, this dual reception remained normative in the West, as seen in Gallican and Roman liturgies, though intinctio—dipping the host in wine—gained occasional use to prevent profanation, as regulated at the Council of Braga (675 AD).^[3] Eastern rites, such as those in Constantinople, consistently preserved both kinds without interruption, underscoring the disciplinary rather than doctrinal nature of any emerging exceptions in the Latin tradition toward the close of the period.^[3] The Church viewed these variations as licit accommodations, not impairments to sacramental efficacy, given the doctrine of concomitance—that Christ's full presence inheres in each species alone.^[3]

Shift in the Western Latin Rite (12th-15th Centuries)

During the 12th to 15th centuries, the customary practice in the Latin Rite of the Western Church evolved such that the laity received Holy Communion solely under the species of bread, while clerics partook of both species at the altar. This development, building on earlier regional variations, reflected practical pastoral concerns including the reduced frequency of lay reception—from near-daily in antiquity to annual by the high Middle Ages—and fears of spilling or profaning the consecrated wine, which carried heightened reverence amid growing Eucharistic devotion.^[28]^[29] The Fourth Lateran Council of 1215, convened by Pope Innocent III, did not issue decrees specifically on Communion species but advanced Eucharistic theology by formally defining transubstantiation, affirming that the substance of bread and wine converts entirely into Christ's body and blood while accidents remain. This doctrinal clarification implicitly supported the sufficiency of one species, as the whole Christ was understood to subsist fully under either form, though the council's canons focused more on safeguarding the sacrament's reservation and lay confession prior to reception.^[30] Scholastic theologians provided explicit justification for the custom. Thomas Aquinas, in his Summa Theologica (completed around 1274), addressed the matter in Question 80, Article 12, arguing that reception under one kind is lawful because of concomitance—the inseparable union of Christ's body and blood—ensuring the recipient obtains the entire sacrament regardless of species. Aquinas cited the peril of irreverence or spillage with the chalice as a prudential reason for restricting the laity to bread, while permitting both for priests whose reverence warranted it; he viewed the practice as a concession rather than ideal, rooted in safeguarding the sacrament's dignity.^[31]^[32] By the 13th century, the bread-only custom had become normative for the laity across Latin Christendom, often administered via a small host to minimize mishandling, with earlier methods like intinction (dipping bread in wine) phased out to avoid lay contact with the chalice. Local synods reinforced this; for instance, the 1281 Synod of Lambeth under Archbishop John Peckham prohibited lay reception of the wine except in rare cases, aligning with broader efforts to standardize reverence amid scholastic emphasis on the sacrament's sacredness.^[29] In the 15th century, as proto-reformist sentiments emerged, the entrenched custom faced initial challenges, setting the stage for later controversies, yet it remained the unchallenged norm defended by church authority against demands for both species.^[33]

Continuity in Eastern Christianity

In Eastern Christianity, encompassing traditions such as Byzantine Rite Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy, the administration of the Eucharist to the laity under both kinds—consecrated leavened bread and wine—has persisted without substantial interruption from the patristic era to the present. This continuity contrasts with Western developments, rooted in liturgical practices that emphasize full sacramental participation mirroring the Last Supper accounts in Scripture, where participants received both elements. Early sources, including descriptions from the 4th-century Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, the normative Byzantine Eucharistic rite, indicate distribution to communicants of both species, often initially separate but evolving to intinction (dipping bread in wine) to ensure reverence and prevent spillage.^[34]^[35] By the 6th–7th centuries, the use of a common spoon for serving a portion of intincted Eucharist became widespread in Byzantine practice, facilitating safe reception by all baptized members, including infants following chrismation. This method, documented in liturgical commentaries and artifacts, maintained the integrity of both species while adapting to communal needs, without the Western concerns over lay handling of the chalice that led to its restriction after the 11th century. Theological emphasis in Eastern traditions on the mystical supper's wholeness, without a formalized doctrine of concomitance limiting one species' sufficiency for laity, supported this unbroken custom; patristic homilies, such as those of St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407), urged frequent reception in both forms as integral to ecclesial unity.^[36]^[37] Across Eastern rites, including Antiochene and Alexandrian variants used in Oriental Orthodox churches, similar patterns hold: laity receive both kinds via spoon or intinction, as attested in ancient anaphoras like that of St. James (c. 1st century, formalized later), ensuring comprehensive sacramental encounter. This practice persisted through historical upheavals, such as the Iconoclastic Controversies (8th–9th centuries) and Ottoman rule (15th–20th centuries), with no conciliar mandates altering lay access, unlike Trent's 16th-century affirmations in the West. Modern Eastern liturgical norms, as outlined by autocephalous churches, reaffirm this: the Orthodox Church in America states the Eucharist "is always given in both forms—bread and wine"—to all prepared communicants, underscoring causal continuity from apostolic origins without concession to pragmatic curtailments.^[34]^[38]

Major Controversies and Debates

Hussite Utraquism and the Compactata of Basel (15th Century)

Utraquism, the practice of administering Holy Communion to the laity under both species of bread and wine, became a central tenet of the Hussite movement in Bohemia after the execution of reformer Jan Hus on July 6, 1415, at the Council of Constance for heresy. Hus had publicly advocated lay reception of the chalice, arguing it aligned with apostolic tradition and scriptural accounts of the Last Supper, while critiquing the medieval Western restriction to the host alone as an unwarranted innovation that diminished the sacrament's fullness. This demand gained traction amid broader Hussite calls for ecclesiastical reform, culminating in the Four Articles of Prague promulgated on July 5, 1420, which enshrined utraquism as the first article alongside demands for vernacular preaching, clerical punishment of sin, and church property reform. The articles reflected empirical grievances over perceived clerical abuses and a return to perceived primitive practices, substantiated by Hussite appeals to early patristic sources like Cyprian of Carthage, who emphasized both elements' integral role. The Hussite Wars (1419–1436), triggered by the July 30, 1419, defenestration of Prague and subsequent papal crusades, saw utraquism defended militarily by radical Taborites and moderate Utraquists alike, with the latter faction emphasizing reconciliation with Rome while insisting on the chalice's restoration. Utraquist forces, led by figures like Jan Žižka until his death in 1424, repelled five crusades, including the decisive Battle of Ústí nad Labem on August 16, 1426, leveraging wagon-fort tactics and popular mobilization rooted in sacramental egalitarianism. Internal divisions emerged, with Utraquists prioritizing utraquism over Taborite extremism, leading to the latter's defeat at the Battle of Lipany on November 30, 1434, which positioned moderates to negotiate with the Council of Basel. These conflicts underscored causal links between doctrinal insistence on both kinds and Bohemian national resistance to imperial and papal authority, as utraquism symbolized lay autonomy against hierarchical control. Negotiations between Hussite delegates and the Council of Basel, convened from 1431, intensified after 1433 safe-conduct invitations, focusing on reconciling the Four Articles with conciliar authority. The resulting Compactata of Basel, agreed upon in principle during talks and formally issued in Prague on November 5, 1436, and confirmed at the Jihlava assembly shortly thereafter, granted conditional permission for Bohemian and Moravian laity to receive Communion under both kinds, marking a rare conciliar concession to a schismatic demand. The document specified practicalities such as diluting the wine with water, intinction for the host, and restriction to the Kingdom of Bohemia, while subordinating utraquism to papal oversight and omitting broader Hussite reforms like property expropriation. Ratified by the Council on January 15, 1437, the Compactata effectively ended the wars by reintegrating Utraquists into Catholic communion, though radicals rejected it, and enforcement wavered under subsequent popes like Pius II, who condemned utraquism in 1462. This compromise highlighted limits of conciliarism, as the accords' ambiguous clauses preserved utraquism legally until its suppression in the 1560s, fostering a semi-autonomous Utraquist church that influenced later Protestant developments.^[39]^[40]^[41]^[42]

Reformation Challenges and the Council of Trent (16th Century)

In the early 16th century, Protestant reformers mounted significant challenges to the Catholic restriction of communion under one kind for the laity, viewing it as a departure from apostolic and scriptural norms. Martin Luther, in his October 1520 treatise The Babylonian Captivity of the Church, denounced the withholding of the chalice as one of the Church's "captivities" of the sacraments, asserting that the full sacrament—both bread and wine—must be administered to all communicants per Christ's institution at the Last Supper, and that papal prohibition constituted tyrannical overreach unsupported by divine law.^[43] Luther reinforced this in his 1522 tract Receiving Both Kinds of the Sacrament, arguing that utraquism (communion in both species) aligns with early Church practice and biblical precedent, while the medieval limitation risked implying deficiency in single-species reception—a position he tied to broader critiques of sacramental abuses.^[44] Other reformers, including associates like Andreas Karlstadt, implemented both kinds in Wittenberg liturgies as early as Christmas 1521, framing the reform as restoring lay participation against clerical monopoly.^[45] These arguments drew on Hussite precedents but emphasized sola scriptura, portraying the restriction as a human innovation lacking scriptural mandate and potentially diminishing the sacrament's communal integrity. The Council of Trent, convened to counter Protestant doctrines, directly confronted these challenges in its Twenty-First Session on July 16, 1562, under Pope Pius IV. The session's doctrinal decree reaffirmed the principle of concomitance—that the entire Christ, body, blood, soul, and divinity, is substantially present under each species alone—thus rendering communion under one kind complete and spiritually sufficient for the laity.^[46] ^[4] Four canons anathematized key reformist claims: Canon 1 condemned assertions that divine precept or salvific necessity requires both species for all faithful; Canon 2 rejected the notion that Communion under both confers more grace or efficacy than under one; Canon 3 upheld the validity of single-species reception; and Canon 4 affirmed the Church's authority to mandate or permit one kind for laity without invalidating the sacrament.^[46] This framework defended the Western rite's longstanding discipline as prudent—citing risks of spillage, irreverence, or doctrinal confusion—while acknowledging primitive Church utraquism, but prioritized ecclesiastical governance over mandatory restoration, distinguishing Catholic sacramental realism from Protestant demands.^[46] The decrees, ratified by 183 plenary votes, integrated into Trent's broader eucharistic canons (Session 13, 1551), solidifying the practice amid Reformation polemics without prohibiting both kinds outright.^[4]

Current Doctrinal Positions and Practices

Catholicism

In Catholic doctrine, the reception of Holy Communion under one species—typically the consecrated bread—is sufficient for the full reception of Christ, as affirmed by the Council of Trent in its Twenty-First Session on July 16, 1562, which declared that laypeople and non-celebrating clerics are bound by no divine precept to receive under both species, owing to the principle of concomitance whereby the entire Christ, body, blood, soul, and divinity, is present under either species alone.^[46] The Council further upheld the Church's authority to mandate Communion under one kind for just causes, such as preventing spillage or irreverence, while anathematizing claims that both species are necessary or that grace is diminished under one.^[46] This teaching rests on the unity of the sacrament, ensuring no loss of salvific efficacy regardless of form. The 1983 Code of Canon Law codifies this in Canon 925, stating that Holy Communion is administered under the form of bread alone, or under both species according to liturgical norms, or under wine alone only in cases of necessity.^[47] The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (2002 edition) elaborates that Communion under both kinds constitutes a "fuller form as a sign" of the Eucharistic banquet, expressing more clearly the sharing in Christ's body and blood, though it remains optional and secondary to the doctrine of sufficiency under one kind.^[48] The Second Vatican Council, in Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963), expanded permissions for both kinds on certain occasions to foster deeper participation, but emphasized catechesis to avoid misunderstanding the Trent-defined integrity of each species.^[48] In contemporary practice within the Latin Rite, Communion under both kinds is permitted and encouraged in specific contexts—such as Masses for children, weddings, priestly ordinations, and certain feasts—subject to the diocesan bishop's discretion to prevent profanation, logistical issues, or doctrinal confusion, as outlined in the 2004 instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum.^[49] Distribution methods include direct sipping from the chalice or intinction (dipping the host in the Precious Blood), but self-intinction or pouring the Blood is prohibited to safeguard reverence and validity.^[49] While some parishes offer both kinds routinely under episcopal norms, the ordinary form remains under bread alone, prioritizing the Church's longstanding caution against risks like spillage or irreverence historically associated with the chalice's wider use.^[49] Eastern Catholic Churches, in continuity with their rites, more consistently administer both kinds, reflecting liturgical diversity within Catholicism.^[48]

Eastern Orthodoxy

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Holy Communion is distributed under both kinds—consecrated leavened bread and wine—to all baptized and chrismated members, including infants, as a normative practice without exception for the laity.^[34] This reflects a doctrinal emphasis on the fullness of Christ's Body and Blood being received integrally, aligning with the liturgical tradition preserved since the early Church, where both species were administered to the faithful.^[50] The method of distribution involves placing portions of the softened leavened bread (prosphora) into the chalice of consecrated wine, forming a mixture that the priest or deacon then administers to communicants using a single liturgical spoon, known as labis or cochlear.^[51] ^[52] This intinction-like approach, which emerged practically to prevent the loss of particles and ensure hygienic containment, has been standard in Byzantine Rite liturgies since at least the medieval period, though the commitment to both species predates it and contrasts with the Western Latin shift toward bread alone for laity by the 12th century.^[53] Eastern Orthodox theology does not invoke a formal doctrine of concomitance to justify withholding the chalice, as in post-Tridentine Catholicism; instead, the practice underscores the sacramental unity of the Eucharist as commanded in Scripture (e.g., "Do this in remembrance of me" encompassing both elements per 1 Corinthians 11:24-25) and patristic witness, maintaining that the whole Christ is present and active in each species while deeming both essential for complete participation.^[34] Temporary adaptations, such as multiple spoons during health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, have been debated but do not alter the underlying requirement of both kinds, with official guidance reaffirming the common spoon's role in preserving tradition.^[51] ^[54]

Lutheranism

In Lutheran theology, communion under both kinds—receiving both the bread and the wine—is regarded as the normative practice instituted by Christ himself, as commanded in the Gospel accounts: "Drink from it, all of you" (Matthew 26:27).^[55] This position was formally articulated in Article XXII of the Augsburg Confession (1530), the primary confessional document of Lutheranism, which condemns the medieval withholding of the cup from the laity as contrary to Scripture and early church custom.^[55] The Apology of the Augsburg Confession further defends this by citing biblical precedents, such as 1 Corinthians 11:25, and historical evidence from church fathers like Cyprian and councils that affirmed distribution to all communicants.^[56] Martin Luther emphasized this reform early in the Reformation, restoring both elements in Wittenberg services by 1523 to align with Christ's mandate and reject papal innovations that restricted the laity to bread alone, which he viewed as diminishing the sacrament's integrity.^[57] Lutherans affirm the real presence of Christ's body and blood in, with, and under the bread and wine via sacramental union, meaning both elements convey the full benefit of the sacrament, yet both are distributed to honor the institution rather than for perceived insufficiency in one kind.^[58] In contemporary Lutheran practice, as upheld by bodies like the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), both kinds are offered to all baptized and instructed communicants during the Divine Service, typically via individual hosts or wafers for the bread and common chalice, individual cups, or intinction for the wine.^[58] ^[59] This occurs at the chancel rails, in procession, or via continuous distribution lines, with frequency varying by congregation—weekly in many confessional settings, though not universally mandated.^[60] Exceptions for the infirm may involve reserved elements consecrated fresh for each use, avoiding re-consecration debates.^[61] Adhering to closed or selective communion policies, distribution remains restricted to those in doctrinal agreement, underscoring the sacrament's unity in faith.^[62]

Anglicanism, Methodism, and Reformed Traditions

In Anglicanism, communion under both kinds—receiving both the bread and the wine (or common cup)—is the normative practice, as restored during the English Reformation to align with scriptural injunctions and early Christian customs. The rubrics in the Book of Common Prayer, originating from the 1549 and 1552 editions under Edward VI, direct the distribution of both elements to all communicants, rejecting the medieval Latin restriction to the laity receiving only the bread. This approach symbolizes full participation in Christ's body and blood, with exceptions limited primarily to pastoral circumstances, such as administering one kind to the infirm or, temporarily, during health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. Official diocesan guidelines affirm that "communion should normally be received in both kinds separately," underscoring the chalice as a sign of unity among believers.^[63] Methodism, emerging from 18th-century Anglican revivalism under John Wesley, inherits and perpetuates this Reformation-era restoration of both kinds, viewing the Eucharist as a means of grace where participants receive bread and wine (or juice in some temperance-influenced variants) to commemorate Christ's sacrifice and foster communal bonds. Early Methodist worship followed the Anglican liturgy, with Wesley adapting the Book of Common Prayer to emphasize frequent reception under both forms, as evidenced in his 1784 Sunday Service. Contemporary United Methodist practice typically involves communicants approaching to receive both elements from the minister, often via individual cups or intinction for practicality, though the full symbolism of separate reception remains valued. This aligns with Methodist doctrinal standards in The Articles of Religion, which echo Anglican critiques of withholding the cup from the laity.^[64]^[65] Reformed traditions, including Presbyterian and Calvinist bodies, mandate communion under both kinds as a scriptural imperative, with John Calvin arguing in his Institutes of the Christian Religion (1536 onward) that denying the cup to the people violates the Gospel accounts of the Last Supper and 1 Corinthians 11:25-26. The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646), a foundational Reformed document, implies full sacramental participation without restriction, leading to practices where elders distribute both bread and wine (or grape juice) to seated or forward-moving congregations. Historical Reformed synods, such as those in 16th-century Geneva, explicitly restored both kinds to counter Roman Catholic concomitance doctrine, which justified lay reception of one element alone. Modern Presbyterian churches, like the Presbyterian Church (USA, continue this by offering both species routinely, sometimes via trays of individual cups to accommodate large assemblies, emphasizing the Lord's Supper as a covenantal meal of remembrance and spiritual nourishment.^[66]^[67]

Latter-day Saints and Other Groups

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the sacrament consists of broken bread, emblematic of Christ's body, and water, symbolic of his blood, both of which are blessed by ordained priesthood holders and distributed tray-by-tray to all worthy adult members and baptized youth during weekly Sunday worship services known as sacrament meetings.^[68] This practice, viewed as a renewal of baptismal covenants rather than a transformation of elements, replaced wine with water in the mid-19th century amid temperance concerns and revelations emphasizing symbolism over literal blood representation.^[68] The ordinance occurs universally across the church's approximately 17 million members worldwide as of 2023, with deacons and teachers—often teenage boys—responsible for orderly distribution to seated congregants.^[69] Jehovah's Witnesses commemorate the Lord's Evening Meal annually on the date corresponding to Nisan 14 in the Jewish calendar, employing unleavened bread and unfermented red wine as unchanged symbols of Christ's flesh and blood, passed among approximately 8.7 million attendees globally in 2024.^[70] However, only an estimated 23,200 individuals, deemed the "anointed remnant" destined for heavenly rule, partake of both emblems during the service; the vast majority observe silently without consuming, reflecting the Witnesses' interpretation that the meal commemorates Christ's ransom sacrifice exclusively for the 144,000 selected class rather than congregational participation.^[71] Seventh-day Adventists conduct the Lord's Supper, typically quarterly following a foot-washing ordinance, using unleavened bread and grape juice—substituting juice for wine per health and temperance principles established in the 19th century—to symbolize Christ's body and blood, with both elements distributed to baptized believers in an open communion setting.^[72] This practice, rooted in the church's 28 fundamental beliefs affirmed in 1980 and serving its over 22 million members, emphasizes communal remembrance of Christ's death and anticipated return without doctrines of real presence or transubstantiation.^[73]

References

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Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion under ...
The norms aim for reverent distribution, with expanded opportunities, catechesis, and careful planning for both kinds of communion.
[2]
Communion Under Both Kinds | Simply Catholic
Scripture refers to Communion in both forms. The earliest reference is 1 Corinthians 11:23-29. Verses 23-26 and 29 clearly specify receiving both species. Verse ...
[3]
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Communion under both kinds is for the celebrating priest, not the laity, and is not obligatory. The Church has approved the custom of receiving under one kind.
[4]
Twenty-First Session of the Council of Trent | EWTN
Laymen and clerics when not offering the sacrifice are bound by no divine precept to receive the sacrament of the Eucharist under both forms.<|separator|>
[5]
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Wherefore it is most true, that as much is contained under either species as under both; for Christ whole and entire is under the species of bread, and under ...
[6]
Sacrosanctum Concilium - The Holy See
The dogmatic principles which were laid down by the Council of Trent remaining intact [40], communion under both kinds may be granted when the bishops think fit ...
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Communion under both kinds is also permitted at parish and community Masses celebrated on Sundays and holy days of obligation in the dioceses of the United ...
[8]
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https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+11%3A23-25&version=ESV
[17]
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+11%3A27&version=ESV
[18]
Dictionary : CONCOMITANCE - Catholic Culture
The doctrine that explains why the whole Christ is present under each Eucharistic species. Christ is indivisible, so that his body cannot be separated.
[19]
The way in which Christ is in this sacrament (Tertia Pars, Q. 76)
As stated above, the body of Christ is not under the species of wine by the power of the sacrament, but by real concomitance: and therefore by the consecration ...
[20]
Eucharistic Concomitance and the Resurrection - Dominicana Journal
Sep 16, 2022 · At first glance, concomitance may seem simple. The Son of God becomes fully present—Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity—under both sacramental ...
[21]
SUMMA THEOLOGIAE: The form of this sacrament (Tertia Pars, Q. 78)
But in this sacrament the consecration of the matter consists in the miraculous change of the substance, which can only be done by God; hence the minister in ...
[22]
Every Catholic Needs to Know About This Little-Known Eucharistic ...
Sep 16, 2020 · 'Concomitance,' as St. Thomas Aquinas explains it, means that 'nothing is lost by the body being received by the people without the blood.'
[23]
Council of Trent - ldysinger.com
At Session 21 (16 July 1562) the subject of Eucharistic Communion was treated and the presence of the undivided Christ under either species (concomitance) ...<|separator|>
[24]
[PDF] The Doctrine of Concomitance - Evansville Catholic Diocese
It refers to the teaching on the Eucharist that, during holy communion, the whole. Christ is equally present in the consecrated bread just as He is present ...
[25]
When did the Church come up with the doctrine that each species ...
The Church has always taught that each species contains both the body and blood of Christ. This dogma was reaffirmed at the Council of Trent.
[26]
Communion under one kind - Our Sunday Visitor
Jun 12, 2020 · That the first Christians received Communion under both kinds is well established. A second century writing describes the Eucharistic gathering ...
[27]
CHURCH FATHERS: The First Apology (St. Justin Martyr)
Justice requires that you inquire into the life both of him who confesses and of him who denies, that by his deeds it may be apparent what kind of man each is.
[28]
Undoing the Reformation: communion in one kind - amalarius
Jun 26, 2020 · In the West communion under one kind was generally accepted but began to be condemned by the Hussites in the fifteenth century, a position ...
[29]
https://www.christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/59612/in-western-communion-services-when-was-the-origin-of-the-practice-of-consistent
[30]
Fourth Lateran Council : 1215 Council Fathers - Papal Encyclicals
We decree that the chrism and the eucharist are to be kept locked away in a safe place in all churches, so that no audacious hand can reach them to do anything ...
[31]
Question 80. The use or receiving of this sacrament in general
Are there two ways of eating this sacrament, namely, sacramentally and spiritually? Does it belong to man alone to eat this sacrament spiritually?
[32]
More on Communion under Both Forms and Concomitance
Dec 6, 2016 · The doctrine of concomitance must be upheld, withhold the cup. Every Catholic knows that they are receiving the whole Christ whenever they must ...<|separator|>
[33]
Withholding the communion cup from the laity began in 1416 AD.
Withholding the communion cup from the laity began in 1416 AD. A. Christ instructed all to drink the cup: "And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[34]
The Orthodox Faith - Volume II - The Sacraments - Holy Eucharist
The eucharist is always given to all members of the Church, including infants who are baptized and confirmed. It is always given in both forms—bread and wine.
[35]
The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist / OrthoChristian.Com
Jun 27, 2016 · St John Chrysostom shortened the Liturgy of St Basil. The Liturgy of St John Chrysostom is the most commonly celebrated and well-known Liturgy.Missing: species | Show results with:species
[36]
The Holy Eucharist - Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Sep 3, 1985 · The origin of the Eucharist is traced to the Last Supper at which ... the distribution of Holy Communion reserved from the previous Sunday.
[37]
Do the Sacraments Prevent Illness? - Public Orthodoxy
Mar 19, 2020 · The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is similar, asking for vigilance of soul, fellowship with the Spirit, the fullness of the kingdom ...Missing: species | Show results with:species
[38]
Liturgy of St. James - OrthodoxWiki
Basil and the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, it had already spread to other ... The laity are communed in both species, by way of intinction, with the ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[39]
Jan Hus (1369-1415) and the Hussite wars (1419-1436)
Jan Hus was a Czech priest who called for church reform and was executed. His death led to the Hussite wars, a religious, political and social revolution.
[40]
CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Hussites - New Advent
Thus Utraquism and home rule supplanted Catholicism and German rule. The nobility accepted the new order; Archbishop Conrad of Prague adapted the four articles ...
[41]
20.08.24, Šmahel, Die Basler Kompaktaten mit den Hussiten (1436)
The Hussite "four articles of Prague" (drawn up in 1420) were robustly debated by Hussites before the Council of Basel over a three month period early in 1433.
[42]
The Basel Compactata and the Limits of Religious Coexistence in ...
Dec 11, 2023 · This article aims to provide a better understanding of the Basel Compactata by discussing the controversial nature of these documents.
[43]
The Babylonian Captivity of the Church. October, 1520
Luther first discusses the sacrament of the Holy Communion, and opposes three errors as a threefold bondage; namely, the withdrawal of the cup from the laity, ...
[44]
https://oxfordre.com/religion/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780199340378.001.0001/acrefore-9780199340378-e-375
[45]
Martin Luther's Personal Presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper
Mar 17, 2011 · On Christmas Day 1521, Karlstadt celebrated the Lord's Supper in plain clothes and communicated the laity in both kinds. On January 24th ...
[46]
General Council of Trent: Twenty-First Session - Papal Encyclicals
Many are seen to have departed from the faith and obedience of the Catholic Church, It has thought fit, faithful in Christ to presume henceforth to believe.Missing: concomitance | Show results with:concomitance
[47]
Code of Canon Law - Function of the Church Liber (Cann. 879-958)
925 Holy communion is to be given under the form of bread alone, or under both species according to the norm of the liturgical laws, or even under the form of ...Missing: current | Show results with:current
[48]
General Instruction of the Roman Missal - The Holy See
Mar 17, 2003 · If, however, Communion is given under both kinds, the rite prescribed in nos. 284-287 is followed. 162. The priest may be assisted in the ...<|separator|>
[49]
Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum - The Holy See
If one chalice is not sufficient for Communion to be distributed under both kinds to the Priest concelebrants or Christ's faithful, there is no reason why ...Missing: historical development
[50]
Communion Under One or Two Species: An Evaluation of Rome's ...
Aug 24, 2021 · The purpose, then, of receiving Holy Communion under both kinds, is not that the faithful receive more grace than when they receive it under one ...
[51]
From One Spoon to Many - Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Aug 5, 2020 · ... Holy Communion is distributed to the faithful from the common cup by means of a common spoon. The experience of the church tells us that ...
[52]
About Orthodox Communion Spoons - PREACHERS INSTITUTE
Apr 2, 2016 · The practice of distributing the Eucharist to the laity with a spoon became the norm because of the practical issue of laity accidentally dropping particles of ...
[53]
When and Why Did The Tradition of Giving Communion on a Spoon ...
Mar 22, 2019 · They started dipping the Bread into the cup with the Blood and then distribute the particles of the Body soaked in Blood on a spoon. Roman ...
[54]
Are the Orthodox About to Change Communion? - Ancient Faith Blogs
Jun 2, 2020 · Some within the Church have been calling for an end to the medieval Eastern Christian practice of distributing Holy Communion to the laity via ...<|separator|>
[55]
Article XXII. Of Both Kinds in the Sacrament | Book of Concord
The laity are given both kinds in the Lord's Supper based on Christ's command, and those who prefer it should not be compelled otherwise.
[56]
Art. XXII (X): Of Both Kinds in the Lord's Supper | Book of Concord
The Book of Concord argues that both parts of the Lord's Supper were instituted by Christ for the entire Church, and Paul delivered the use of both.
[57]
Augsburg Confession – Article 22 – The Sacrament in Both Kinds
Mar 20, 2018 · The Sacrament is given to the laypeople in both kinds. Here is why: This is the clear directive and command of Christ in Matthew 26: “Drink from it, all of you ...<|separator|>
[58]
A Laymen's Commentary on the Augsburg Confession: Both Kinds ...
Feb 13, 2019 · The priests consumed both the host and the cup. However, in the Lutheran churches both the body and blood are given the the laity. Thus the ...
[59]
Lutheran Beliefs on Holy Communion
Lutherans believe Jesus is present during communion, using bread and wine. They believe Jesus is "truly and substantially present" and welcome all baptized to ...<|separator|>
[60]
Holy Communion in the Lutheran Tradition - Living an Ecumenical Life
Oct 5, 2013 · The true body and blood of Christ are truly present under the form of bread and wine in the Lord's Supper and are distributed and received there.
[61]
[PDF] Should Lutherans Reserve the Consecrated Elements for the ...
Traditionally, Lutherans consecrate elements at the sick's location, but now some reserve elements for later use, which is an innovation.
[62]
FAQs about Denominations - The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
The LCMS believes that the Bible is without error in all that it says. The ELCA avoids making such statements, holding that Scripture is not necessarily always ...
[63]
Communion guidelines | Diocese of London
“Communion should normally be received in both kinds separately, but where necessary may be received in one kind, whether of bread or, where the communicant ...
[64]
[PDF] Early Methodist Worship Page 1 of 19 Wesley, the Methodists, and ...
Early Methodists, especially Wesley, viewed the Eucharist as a means of grace, a major way God conveyed grace, and a means of grace by which God worked in man.<|control11|><|separator|>
[65]
What do I need to know about communion in the UMC?
Jun 9, 2025 · Holy Communion in the UMC is an open table, meaning all are welcome. It signifies God's grace, forgiveness, and the unity of believers, ...
[66]
Reformed Theologians on the Frequency of Communion: Past ...
Feb 8, 2025 · In other words, frequent communion was the practice of the early church, and infrequent communion was the later Roman Catholic innovation. It ...
[67]
Five views of the Eucharist - Christianity in View
The five views are: Roman Catholic (Transubstantiation), Orthodox (Real Presence), Lutheran (Consubstantiation), Reformed/Presbyterian (Receptionism), and ...
[68]
Sacrament Meetings - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Sacramental wine was increasingly replaced with water over the course of the 19th century. The amount of bread used for sacrament services has also varied over ...
[69]
How the Church Manages Material Waste
Mar 17, 2025 · The sacrament, a weekly ordinance held on the Sabbath Day where bread and water are shared in remembrance of Jesus Christ, uses individual cups.
[70]
Why Do Jehovah's Witnesses Observe the Lord's Supper Differently ...
The unleavened bread and red wine served at the Memorial are emblems, or symbols, of Christ's flesh and blood. They are not miraculously changed into or mixed ...
[71]
The Lord's Evening Meal—An Observance That Honors God
Hence, both the bread and the wine are only symbols. The bread symbolizes Christ's perfect body. Jesus used a loaf of bread left over from the Passover meal.
[72]
What Is the Lord's Supper and Why Does It Matter? - Adventist.org
The three significant parts of a Seventh-day Adventist communion service involves eating unleavened bread, drinking grape juice (fruit of the vine), and ...
[73]
https://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/articles/seventh-day-adventists-and-the-lords-supper