Sacramental Bread

Altar bread · Communion wafers · Hosts

Sacramental bread for the Lord’s table

Communion wafers, priest hosts, unleavened and gluten-free bread, and prefilled cups, for parishes, congregations and chaplains, by the box or by the case.

Shop sacramental bread Which bread does my church use?

Sold and shipped by Church and Faith Supply, Englewood, Colorado, to churches across the U.S.

Communion Bread Hard Unleavened Communion Bread - Single Box or Case of 40 · From $7.99

Sacramental bread for sale

Every item links straight to its page at cfaiths.com, where you can see box counts, case prices and shipping.

Gluten-free & low-gluten 17

Gluten-free communion bread and wafers, plus low-gluten host bowls and ciboria for Catholic parishes.

Prefilled cups with bread 60

Juice or wine sealed together with a wafer or bread, for quick, hygienic communion in large groups and on the go.

See all communion bread at CFaithS

Traditions: which bread does each church use?

At the Last Supper Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to His disciples. Christians have shared that bread ever since, but churches differ on what kind of bread to use, chiefly whether it is unleavened (made without yeast, like the bread of Passover) or leavened.

TraditionUsual bread
Roman Catholic (Latin Church)Unleavened wheat hosts and wafers, made only of wheat flour and water
Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine CatholicLeavened loaves (prosphora) stamped with a liturgical seal
Armenian churchesUnleavened bread
Lutheran (Western rite)Usually unleavened wafers, often stamped with a cross, crucifix or IHS
Anglican and EpiscopalVaries by parish: unleavened wafers or leavened bread
Reformed and PresbyterianBread or rolls broken and shared
Churches of ChristUnleavened bread such as matzo

Many evangelical and community churches use small wafers, soft unleavened squares, or prefilled cups that hold both the juice and the bread.

Source: Wikipedia, “Sacramental bread”. Canon law: Code of Canon Law, canons 924 and 926.

Gluten-free and low-gluten communion bread

For members with celiac disease, many Protestant churches serve fully gluten-free bread or wafers, and prefilled cups now come with gluten-free wafers too.

Catholic practice is different: in 1995 the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith confirmed that low-gluten hosts are valid matter for the Eucharist, but completely gluten-free bread is not. Parishes keep low-gluten hosts in a separate host bowl or ciborium so they are never mixed with the regular hosts.

See gluten-free and low-gluten options

Sizes: which wafer or host to order

  • ⅞ to 1⅛ inchPeople’s wafers for most congregations and hospital visits.
  • 1⅜ inchA slightly larger people’s wafer, often stamped with a cross.
  • 2½ to 2¾ inchPriest hosts for the celebrant at Mass.
  • 5¾ to 9 inchConcelebration and fraction bread, broken for many.

FAQ: sacramental bread

What is sacramental bread?

It’s the bread used for Holy Communion, the Eucharist or the Lord’s Supper. Depending on the church it may be called altar bread, communion wafers, hosts, or simply communion bread.

Why is the bread called a “host”?

“Host” comes from the Latin hostia, meaning a sacrificial victim, pointing to Christ’s sacrifice. The word is used especially for the round wafers of the Western church.

What bread do Catholic parishes need?

The Latin Church’s Code of Canon Law asks for bread made only of wheat flour and water, recently made so it won’t spoil, and unleavened (canons 924 and 926). Wheat communion wafers and priest hosts meet that.

Is there gluten-free communion bread?

Yes. Many Protestant churches use fully gluten-free bread or wafers. For Catholic Mass, low-gluten hosts are approved but completely gluten-free bread is not, so parishes use low-gluten hosts and a separate host bowl.

How many wafers come in a box?

Most people’s wafers come 1,000 to a box. Priest hosts usually come 25 to 50 to a package, and soft communion bread comes in boxes of 200 to 500 pieces. Each product page lists its exact count.

How should we store communion bread?

Keep unopened boxes sealed in a cool, dry place, and close opened containers tightly so the bread stays fresh.

Who sells and ships it?

Everything on this page is sold and shipped by Church and Faith Supply at cfaiths.com, a church supply store in Englewood, Colorado. Call (720) 767-2553 for large orders.

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