Priests' actions remind us that Christ dies, rises before us at Mass

Submitted on December 16, 2009

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By Msgr. Matthew Mitas

Msgr. Matthew Mitas

Q: I’ve noticed that the priest at Mass, right before Communion, breaks the host into three pieces, and drops a tiny particle from it into the chalice to mix with the Precious Blood. Why does he do this?

This ritual, performed during the singing or recitation of the Lamb of God, is called the commingling. The priest does it without drawing any attention to the action, and he recites the accompanying prayers inaudibly, so it's easy to miss if you're not paying attention.

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