Vintage Ciborium
Those who practice Catholicism accept Holy Communion. Visitors to the Catholic Church or those who are deemed non-believers do not take Holy Communion. The act of taking Communion, in and of itself, signifies a commitment and a belief. First Holy Communion generally takes place at the age of seven or eight when a child is believed capable of understanding the commitment being made.
Holy Communion is a small white wafer. This wafer, after prayer and blessing, is the body of Christ accepted into the believer. Taking Holy Communion is part of each mass. The priest, after blessing, receives his congregation in a line and places the body of Christ on each tongue.
Traditionally, the Holy Communion or hosts have been contained in a vessel called a ciborium. The ciborium is much like a chalice or footed cup. It has a lid and, typically, the lid will have a cross or other religious symbol. When veiled, the ciborium will be covered with a white silk cloth.
Vintage ciboriums will be made of gold or silver, often plated. The interior of the ciborium is generally gold. In some cases, vintage ciboriums are also available in glass. They are beautiful, sometimes detailed objects which maybe be kept in an equally ornate tabernacle. If one is interested in religious art and artifacts, there is an active market for collecting vintage or antique ciboriums.