altar bread (altarbred)

Bread prepared for the eucharist. Unleavened bread is required for this purpose in the Roman Catholic Church, and is used in many Anglican churches, in which either leavened or unleavened bread is permitted. In both the latter is made into small thin disks or wafers, called severally altar - breads, usually stamped with some emblem, as the cro or crucifix, or I. H. S. In the former church, after consecration, the altar-bread is called host (see host ), and the wafers are of two sizes, the larger for the priest, the smaller for the people. The Greek Church uses leavened bread especially made for the purpose. See oblate, n., 1. Altar-bread Box.