Paten

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The eucharistic vessel known as the paten is a small shallow plate or disc of precious metal upon which the element of bread is offered toGod at theOffertory of the Mass, and upon which theconsecrated Host is again placed after the Fraction. The word paten comes from a Latin formpatina orpatena, evidently imitated from the Greekpatane. It seems from the beginning to have been used to denote a flat open vessel of the nature of a plate or dish. Such vessels in the first centuries were used in the service of the altar, and probably served to collect the offerings of bread made by the faithful and also to distribute theconsecrated fragments which, after the loaf had been broken by the celebrant, were brought down to the communicants, who in their own hands received each a portion from thepatina. It should be noted, however, that Duchesne, arguing from the language of the earliest Ordines Romani (q.v.), believes that atRome white linen bags were used for this purpose (Duchesne, "Lib. Pont., I, introduct., p. cxliv). We have, however, positive evidence that silver dishes were in use, which were calledpatinæ ministeriales, and which seem to be closely connected with thecalices ministeriales in which theconsecrated wine was brought to the people. Some of these patinæ, as we learn from the inventories of church plate in the"Liber Pontificalis" (I, pp. 202, 271 etc.), weighed twenty or thirty pounds and must have been of large size. In the earliest times the patens, like thechalices, were probably constructed of glass, wood, and copper, as well as of gold and silver; in fact the"Liber Pontificalis" (I, 61 and 139) speaks of glass patens in its notice ofPope Zephyrinus (A.D. 198-217).

When towards the ninth century thezeal of the faithful regarding the frequent reception ofHoly Communion very much declined, the system of consecrating the bread offered by the faithful and of distributing Communion from thepatinæ seems gradually to have changed, and the use of the large and proportionately deeppatinæ ministeriales fell into abeyance. It was probably about the same time that the custom grew up for thepriest himself to use a paten at the altar to contain the sacred Host, and obviate the danger of scattered particles after the Fraction. This paten, however, was of much smaller size and resembled those with which we are now familiar. Some ratherdoubtful specimens of the old ministerial patens are preserved in modern times. The best authenticated seems to be one discovered inSiberia, in 1867 (see de Rossi in "Boll. di Archeol. Crist.", 1871, 153), but this measures less than seven inches in diameter. Another, of gold, of oblong form was found at Gourdon. There is also what is believed to be a Byzantine of alabaster in the treasury of St. Mark's atVenice. Some of these patens are highly decorated, and this is what we should expect from the accounts preserved in the"Liber Pontificalis". In the altar patens of themedieval period we usually find a more marked central depression than is now customary. This well or depression is usually set round with ornamental lobes, seven, ten, or more in number. At the present day hardly any ornament is used or permitted.

The paten, like the bowl of thechalice must be of gold or silver gilt, and it cannot be used before it has beenconsecrated withchrism by abishop. The formula employed speaks of the vessel as blessed "for the administration of the Eucharist ofJesus Christ, that the Body of our Lord may be broken upon it." and also as "the new sepulchre of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ". In the Orientalliturgies there is placed upon the altar a vessel called the discus, analogous to the paten, but it is of considerably larger size.

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