The communion spoon

This article examines the liturgical spoon used in the Orthodox tradition to distribute communion to the faithful. Written in the form of a historical and theological study, it takes as its starting point the debates sparked by the health crisis regarding the modalities of receiving the holy gifts. Raymond Rizk traces the origin of this instrument, attested around the eighth century, showing that it initially fulfilled a practical function: enabling communion for the sick who were unable to receive the Eucharist in their hands. The author then addresses the question of the transmission of diseases through the consecrated species, emphasizing that the bread and wine, while truly being the Body and Blood of Christ, retain their natural organic properties. The article thus sheds historical and doctrinal light on a liturgical object whose significance and use remain largely unknown.