Agnus Dei: Fraction & Commingling
As the congregation sings the Agnus Dei (or the Lamb of God) during the Fraction Rite, the celebrant breaks the host and puts a small piece of the host into the chalice. Fraction The breaking of the Eucharistic host is a symbolic action known as the fraction. The Jews had an ancient practice: the head of the house would take bread, recite a blessing, and break it to be shared among those present.[1] This practice was carried into the Eucharist by the Early Christians to symbolise all who eat in this one bread become one body.[2] Jesus Himself, in more than one occasion in the Gospels, took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it out – namely, when he fed the multitudes and at the Last Supper.[3] It was also at the breaking of bread that the disciples on their way to Emmaus recognised the resurrected Jesus. [4] Commingling As the celebrant breaks the host, he also drops a tiny piece into the chalice. This is known as the commingling. Why does he do it? In the time of the Early Christians, the entire Christian community would gather on Sunday with an apostle (or a bishop) to celebrate Mass.[5] However, as Christianity spread, it soon became physically impossible to gather as one. A presbyter or priest would thus be appointed by the bishop to celebrate Mass in these other areas. The bishop of Rome (i.e. the Pope) would give a fraction of the consecrated host (called a fermentum) to bishops of other dioceses, who placed it in their chalice to signify union with the bishop of Rome.[5] Another interpretation of the mingling of bread and wine is the symbolism of Christ’ resurrection. Just as “the separate consecrations of the bread and wine symbolise the separation of Christ’s body and blood in his death, whereas the commingling rite expresses the reunion of Christ’s body and blood in his resurrection.” [1]
-Yvonne
[1] Edward Sri, A Biblical Walk Through The Mass: Understanding what we say and do in the Liturgy (Ascension Press, 2011), at pp133-134.
[2] CCC 1329.
[3] Wuerl, D. & Aquilina, M., The Mass: The Glory, The Mystery, The Tradition (Doubleday Religion: New York, USA: 2011), at pp.153-156.
[4] Ian Bozant, “Explaining Sign of Peace, Fraction Rite and Agnus Dei”, published on 5 Apr 2012 in the Clarion Herald, retrieved on 25 Feb 2016 from http://clarionherald.info/clarion/index.php/special-sections/year-of-renewal-the-mass/1112-explaining-sign-of-peace-fraction-rite-and-agnus-dei.
[5] Marshall, R. “Why is a piece of the host placed into the chalice?” in St Patrick’s Catholic Community, retrieved on 25 Feb 2016 from http://www.moodycatholic.com/Q14.html.