During this period, the bread was typically made in thin, round wafers. This practical shape made it easier to distribute during Mass, especially with the rise of large congregations. The bread was strictly unleavened in the Western (Latin) Church, whereas Eastern Orthodox Churches used leavened bread, symbolizing the risen Christ.
Medieval devotion to the Eucharist also grew intensely, with the establishment of Eucharistic adoration and the Feast of Corpus Christi in the 13th century. This era saw the rise of the belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the bread, leading to the bread becoming an object of veneration.
Reformation and Counter-Reformation
The Protestant Reformation in the 16th century challenged many Catholic doctrines, including those related to the Eucharist and the nature of the bread. Reformers like Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, and John Calvin each had different views on the presence of Christ in the bread.
Luther retained a belief in the Real Presence but rejected the doctrine of transubstantiation, promoting the idea of “sacramental union.” Zwingli saw the bread primarily as a symbolic memorial, while Calvin taught a spiritual presence of Christ in the elements.
In response, the Catholic Counter-Reformation reaffirmed the traditional doctrine of transubstantiation and the use of unleavened bread. The Council of Trent (1545–1563) codified these teachings, and the use of the thin unleavened host was standardized in the Roman Rite. shutdown123