BREAD, SACRAMENTAL, in the Protestant churches, is common leavened bread, in conformity to the ancient practice. In the Roman Catholic mass, azyous or unleavened bread is used, particularly in the Gallican church, where a sort is provided for this purpose, called pain à chanter, made of the purest wheat flour pressed between two iron plates graven like wafer-moulds, and rubbed with white wax to prevent the paste from sticking. The Greeks observe divers ceremonies in making the eucharist bread. The Abyssinians have an apartment in their churches allotted for this service, being a kind of sacristy. Sirmond, in his disquisition on azyous bread, shows, from the council of Toledo, that anciently there were as many ceremonies used in the Latin church in the preparation of the unleavened bread as are still retained in the eastern churches.
Ecclesiastical writers enumerate other species of bread allotted for purposes of religion; as, first, Kalendarus, that anciently offered to the priest at the kalends; secondly, Prebendarius, the same with capitularis, that distributed daily to each prebendary or canon; thirdly, Benedictus, that usually given to catechumens before baptism, instead of the eucharist bread, which they were incapable of partaking of. The panis benedictus was called also panagium and eulogium, being a sort of bread blessed and consecrated by the priest, by which the catechumens were prepared for the reception of the body of Christ. The same was used afterwards, not only by catechumens, but by believers themselves, as a token of their mutual communion and friendship. Its origin is dated from the seventh century, at the council at Nantes. In the Gallican church we still find panis benedictus, pain benit, used for that offered for benediction, and afterwards distributed to pious persons who attend divine service in chapels. Fourthly, Consecrated bread is a piece of wax, paste, or even earth, over which several ceremonies have been performed with benedictions and other rites, to be sent in an Agnus Dei or relic-box, and presented for veneration. Fifthly, with regard to unleavened bread, panis azyous, the Jews eat no other during their passover; and exact search was made in every house to see that no leavened bread had been left. The usage was introduced in memory of their hasty de-
parture from Egypt, when they had not leisure to bake leavened bread. Lastly, shew-bread was that offered to God every Sabbath-day, being placed on the golden table in the holy of holies.