Looking To Communion Wafers
Communion wafers may prove to be a mystery for you if you are not a Christian or just plainly unfamiliar with the religion.
To let you know, these wafers are used during the Holy Communion to represent the body of Christ. Even though the symbolism is a bit complicated, the ingredients for the piece are actually quite simple.
The thing is if you taste one, it will be quite unlike anything, but this tastelessness in the wafer is crucial to the ceremony instead. It is important since it helps to let people focus their attention on the meaning behind the practice instead.
You can find plenty of manufacturers all over the country. Each one of them has their own special way of creating the wafer, but majority have the same basic recipe.
The two basic ingredients would include water and pure wheat flour. Of course, other communion breads are made from more complicated ingredients, but that recipe would depend on the manufacturer.
Other ingredients that are used in the recipe are yeast and sometimes salt, so that it will have a tinge of flavor.
However, there is one very special ingredient that is sometimes added when making these holy wafers and that is holy water.
Manufacturers sometimes sprinkle a small portion of holy water in the dough while it is being mixed. Afterwards, it is baked and then used in the church service.
Christians are quite familiar with communion wafers; however, not every person know who makes them.
This should not be a surprise though since the work of creating them was assigned to few special people back in the day.
During the course of history, there were special bakers handpicked by the church to create these wafers. Besides that, there was a single oven that was assigned for the sole purpose of baking these wafers, making it a very sacred affair.
As time passed, traditions changed and so did the secrecy to creating the wafers.
Currently, there are plenty of large suppliers for the wafers. These are companies belonging to the private sector and no longer made by nuns and special bakers appointed by people in church.
However, even though there are quite a number of manufacturers, there are still companies that hold a monopoly when it comes to supplying wafers for the majority of the churches in the US.
In fact, there is one company that is said to be the primary supplier for over three quarters of the churches in the US.
The history and significance of these holy wafers cannot be underestimated. Even though most non Christians might not be familiar with them, there is no doubt that it is an essential part of the faith as well as the ceremony of these churches.
If you are a Christian, taking part of the Holy Communion and taking in communion wafers should signify something far beyond the bland taste of this sacramental bread, it should symbolize and signify your faith in the Lord and his undying love for you as his child.
Article by Gary Bird, learn more about Communion Wafers and Communion Chalice collections.
Tags: communion chalice, communion wafers, Religion
