BYZANTINE COMMUNION SPOONS: A REVIEW OF THE EVIDENCE

 

 Robert F. Taft Dumbarton Oaks Papers, Vol. 50 (1996), pp. 209-238

 Nowadays, a gilded metal spoon is used in a variety of ways for the administration of the Eucharist in all Orthodox traditions save the Armenian.' In the Byzantine rite its use is restricted to serving communion to the lesser clergy and laity under both species together via intinction; the consecrated bread is immersed in the consecrated wine, then the sops are served by means of a spoon.2 This is not the only nor even the usual way in which the communion spoon is used in the non-Byzantine East.3 Among the pre- Chalcedonians, the Syrian Orthodox clergy use the spoon to communicate from the chal- ice, and then to serve the laity via intinction.4 The Coptic and Ethiopian Orthodox use the spoon not for intinction, but to serve the chalice to both the clergy and laity.5 The only churches to maintain intact the ancient usage of adult lay communion under both species separately, and in the hand, are the Coptic and Ethiopian Orthodox Churches and the East Syrian (Assyrian) Church of the East...

CLIK 

Byzantine communion spoons: a review of the evidence · Taft, Robert F.. (1996) - In: Dumbarton Oaks papers vol. 50 (1996) p. 209-238