[Magdalen] Speaking of mishaps...

[Grace Cangialosi]

Fortunately, we are not a large congregation, and lots of folks intinct, so there wasn't a huge amount spilled. Enough to make a mess, though...

> On Jun 26, 2016, at 8:50 PM, Lesley de Voil <lesleymdv at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> On 6/27/16, Kate Conant <kate.conant at gmail.com> wrote:
>> At least you weren't in the Orthodox church:
>> 
>> I have seen spills during the distribution of communion during the Divine
>> Liturgy.  Sometimes the priest will lick it off the floor.  Other times
>> I've seen a book placed over the spot (so that that portion of the carpet
>> can be cut out and burned later.
>> 
>> Here's a comment from Monachos.net:
>> 
>> "It is the custom in many churches (including mine) to have a small rug
>> that is brought out at the time of the distribution of the Gifts to the
>> people. It is put just in front of the priest and so when people come to
>> receive, they stand on the rug and if, God forbid, there is any accident or
>> spill, it falls on the rug which then can be taken out separately and dealt
>> with appropriately without burning the floor or cutting the carpet.
> 
> The old Sarum Rite included the use of a Houseling Cloth - a large
> cloth roughly the size of a Humeral veil (maybe 5ft by 2ft) which was
> suspended by two assistants at the Distribution, who held it
> horizontally between the Priest and the recipient, specifically to
> catch any pieces of Consecrated Host that may fall as the Priest
> communicates the Host directly on the tongue of the recipient.
> Communion to the congregation was of one kind only, so a large amount
> of wine was not needed, thus minimizing any accidents such as what
> Grace suffered!
> 
> Regards
> Lesley de Voil