Altar Bread

Order altar bread for your parish, chapel, or ministry. We carry Cavanagh altar breads, baked from wheat and water with no additives in Greenville, Rhode Island, and packaged without being touched by human hands. Each host has a molded, sealed edge that keeps crumbs to a minimum, so your altar and ciboria stay clean.

Altar Bread Sizes: Choosing the Right Host

Altar bread comes in several sizes, each with a specific liturgical use:

• 1-1/8" (29mm) people's hosts – The standard size for distributing Communion to the faithful. Sold 1,000 per box in rolls of 100.
• 1-3/8" (35mm) people's hosts – A slightly larger host preferred by many parishes. Available in rolls, a resealable plastic container, or plastic packets, and also in low-gluten and gluten-free versions.
• 1-1/2" (38mm) special whole wheat hosts – Our largest people's host, sold 500 per order. It gives added significance for those receiving in the hand.
• 2-3/4" (70mm) large hosts – The traditional priest's host, embossed with a cross and elevated at the consecration. Sold 50 per box.
• 5-3/4" (146mm) concelebration hosts – For Masses with several concelebrating priests. Impressed lines let each host break cleanly into 24 pieces. Sold 25 per box.

White vs. Whole Wheat Altar Bread

White hosts have a bright, classic appearance and a delicate texture. Whole wheat hosts have a warmer color and a slightly heartier taste. The choice comes down to parish preference, and many parishes pair a priest's host and people's hosts of the same type for a consistent look.

Low-Gluten and Gluten-Free Hosts

For communicants with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, we offer both low-gluten and gluten-free hosts in the 1-3/8" size. Both are individually wrapped and sold 25 per box. For Catholic Masses, the Church requires that hosts contain some wheat gluten to be valid matter. Our low-gluten hosts are approved by the USCCB, with gluten content below 20 parts per million. Completely gluten-free hosts are not valid for the Catholic Mass. Gluten-free hosts are used by other Christian denominations that permit them. If you're unsure which is right for your community, ask your pastor or diocesan office of worship.

To prevent cross-contact, many parishes keep low-gluten hosts in a separate, clearly marked pyx and consecrate them in their own vessel.

Christmas Wafers (Opłatek)

We also carry Christmas wafers, the embossed wafers shared on Christmas Eve at the Wigilia meal in Polish and Eastern European tradition. They come in white or pink, 100 per packet, with matching decorative envelopes available. They make a meaningful gift for parish families during Advent.

How to Store Altar Bread

Keep unopened altar bread in a cool, dry place away from heat and humidity. Once a package is opened, store the hosts in an airtight container so they stay crisp and don't pick up moisture or odors. Our resealable plastic container option is designed for exactly this. Low-gluten hosts carry a guaranteed 1-year shelf life.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size altar bread do most parishes use?
Most parishes use 1-1/8" or 1-3/8" hosts for the faithful and a 2-3/4" large host for the celebrant.

How many hosts come in a box?
People's hosts in rolls come 1,000 per box. Large priest's hosts come 50 per box. Concelebration, low-gluten, and gluten-free hosts come 25 per box.

Are low-gluten hosts approved for Catholic Mass?
Yes. Our low-gluten hosts are approved by the USCCB. Completely gluten-free hosts are not valid for Catholic consecration.

What is a concelebration host used for?
The 5-3/4" host is used when several priests concelebrate. It breaks into 24 pieces along impressed lines.

Who makes these altar breads?
All of our altar breads are made by Cavanagh in Greenville, Rhode Island.