First Communion
First Communion is a ceremony in some Christian traditions during which a person of the church first receives the Eucharist.[1] It is most common in many parts of the Latin Church tradition of the Catholic Church, Lutheran Church and Anglican Communion (other ecclesiastical provinces of these denominations administer a congregant's First Communion after they receive baptism and confirmation).[2][3] In churches that celebrate a rite of First Communion separate from baptism or confirmation, it typically occurs between the ages of seven and thirteen, often acting as a rite of passage. In other denominations first communion ordinarily follows the reception of confirmation, which occurs at some point in adolescence or adulthood, while Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Christians first receive the sacrament of Holy Communion in infancy, along with Holy Baptism and Chrismation.
Characteristics
Catholics believe this event to be very important, as the Eucharist occupies a central role in Catholic theology and practice.
First Communion is not celebrated in the
The celebration of this ceremony is typically less elaborate in many Protestant churches. Catholics and some Protestants believe that Christ is
Traditions
First Communion is an important tradition for Catholic families and individuals. For
Traditions of celebration surrounding First Communion usually include large family gatherings and parties to celebrate the event. The first communicant wears special clothing. The clothing is often white to symbolize purity, but not in all cultures. Often, a girl wears a fancy dress and a veil attached to a chaplet of flowers or some other hair ornament. In other communities, girls commonly wear dresses passed down to them from sisters or mothers, or even simply their school uniforms with the veil or wreath. Boys may wear a suit and tie, tuxedo, their Sunday best, or national dress, with embroidered armbands worn on the left arm and occasionally white gloves.
In many
Gifts of a religious nature are usually given, such as
Many families have formal professional photographs taken in addition to candid snapshots in order to commemorate the event. Some churches arrange for a professional photographer after the ceremony.
Gallery
-
First Communion photo of a girl in Argentina, 1923
-
Children from Argentina in 1920
-
Children from Holyrood School at England, in 1949
-
An Indian girl receiving her First Communion
-
The decorated bread is a gift for the Catholic Church from children who had their first Communion in Poland.
-
Candle as used for First Communion
-
First Communion in Mexico City, Mexico
-
First Communion in Toledo, Ohio, c. 1920
-
Holy Communion girls, Dublin, Ireland, on the Feast of Corpus Christi, 1969
See also
References
- ^ Jethro Higgins (2018). Holy Communion: What is the Eucharist?. Oregon Catholic Press.
- ^ Smith, Peter Jesserer (21 March 2020). "Ordinariate Becomes 14th U.S. 'Restored Order' Diocese". National Catholic Register. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
With the recent pastoral letter "Come, Holy Ghost," Bishop Steven Lopes revealed the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter would now become the 14th Latin-Rite diocese to make the reception of Holy Eucharist which normally follows Confirmation, something commonly called "restored order" of the sacraments, with a focus on involving the child's family in sacramental preparation. ... The following U.S. Latin-Rite dioceses have currently embraced a restored order for the Sacraments of Initiation: Saginaw, Michigan (1995); Great Falls-Billings, Montana (1996); Portland, Maine (1997); Spokane, Washington (1998); Fargo, North Dakota (2002); Gaylord, Michigan (2003); Tyler, Texas (2005); Phoenix, Arizona (2005); Honolulu, Hawaii (2015); Denver, Colorado (2015); Manchester, New Hampshire (2017); Springfield, Illinois (2017); Gallup, New Mexico (2019); and the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter (2020).
- ^ "At what age do congregation members receive communion?" (PDF). Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. 2013. p. 1. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
Some congregations follow a pattern familiar to older generations of Lutherans: first communion is received at the time of confirmation. A generation ago, many of our congregations began preparing catechetical material for children to receive their first communion when they reached fifth grade.
- ISBN 9781490860077.
For Anglicans and Methodists the reality of the presence of Jesus as received through the sacramental elements is not in question. Real presence is simply accepted as being true, its mysterious nature being affirmed and even lauded in official statements like This Holy Mystery: A United Methodist Understanding of Holy Communion.
- ISBN 978-1-57910-104-6.
The Westminster Confession emphatically declares that Christ is truly present in the elements and is truly received by those partaking, "yet not carnally and corporally, but spiritually" (chap. 31, par. 7). The insistence is that while Christ's presence is not physical in nature it is no less a real and vital presence, as if it were a physical presence. ... Those of us in the Reformed tradition are under strong obligation to honour the notion of the real presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper.
- ISBN 9780802805218.
In the Roman Catholic Church the official explanation of how Christ is present is called transubstantiation. This is simply an explanation of how, not a statement that, he is present. Anglicans and Orthodox do not attempt to define how, but simply accept the mystery of his presence.
- ^ Quam Singulari
- ^
Kerby, Jill (May 3, 2016). "First Communion Windfalls Need Careful Harvesting". Munster Express. Archivedfrom the original on January 3, 2018. Retrieved January 2, 2018.