First Communion - wikipedia First Communion A Catholic girl receives First Communion in Hungary. First Communion is a ceremony in some Christian traditions during which a person first receives the Eucharist. It is most common in the Latin Church tradition of the Catholic Church, as well as in many parts of the Lutheran Church and Anglican Communion. In churches that celebrate First Communion, it typically occurs between the ages of seven and thirteen, often acting as a rite of passage. Contents 1 Characteristics 2 Traditions 3 History 4 Gallery 5 See also 6 References 7 External links Characteristics A little girl photographed for First Communion in Italy, c. 1919 Catholics believe this event to be very important, as the Eucharist occupies a central role in Catholic theology and practice. First Communion is not celebrated in the Eastern Orthodox churches, the Oriental Orthodox churches, or the Assyrian Church of the East, as they practice infant communion ( which often is simultaneously administered with infant baptism and confirmation ). Some Anglicans allow infant communion, while others require the previous reception of confirmation, usually during the teenage years. Celebration of this ceremony is typically less elaborate in many Protestant churches. Catholics and some Protestants believe that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist, although only Catholics and some Anglo - Catholics of the Anglican Communion believe this is through transubstantiation. Other denominations have varying understandings, ranging from the Eucharist being a symbolic meal to a meal of remembering Christ 's last supper. Traditions The sacrament of First Communion is an important tradition for Catholic families and individuals. For Catholics, Holy Communion is the third of seven sacraments received. It occurs only after receiving Baptism, and once the person has reached the age of reason ( usually, around the second grade ). First confession ( the first sacrament of penance ) must precede the reception of the Eucharist. This order of the sacraments is practiced universally by all Latin - rite Catholics. For reception of First communion, Pope Pius X in 1910, issued the decree Quam singulari, which changed the age at which first communion is taken to 7 years old. Previously, local standards had been 10 or 12 or ever 14 years old. Byzantine Catholics ( Eastern Rite ) celebrate the sacraments of baptism, confirmation ( Chrismation ), and Holy Communion on the same day as an infant 's baptism. Traditions of celebration surrounding First Communion usually include large family gatherings and parties to celebrate the event. The first communicant wears special clothing. The clothing is often white to symbolize purity, but not in all cultures. Often, a girl wears a fancy dress and a veil attached to a chaplet of flowers or some other hair ornament. In other communities, girls commonly wear dresses passed down to them from sisters or mothers, or even simply their school uniforms with the veil or wreath. Boys may wear a suit and tie, tuxedo, their Sunday best, or national dress, with embroidered arm bands worn on the left arm and occasionally white gloves. In many Latin American countries, boys wear military - style dress uniforms with gold braid aiguillettes. In Switzerland, both boys and girls wear plain white robes with brown wooden crosses around their necks. In Spain, Germany, Luxembourg, Austria, and Guam, girls are dressed up as little brides, although this has been partly replaced by albs in recent times. In Scotland, boys traditionally wear kilts and other traditional Scottish dress which accompany the kilt. In the Philippines, First Communion services often occur on or around the Feast of the Immaculate Conception ( the country 's patron saint ), with boys donning either the Barong Tagalog or semi-formal Western dress, and girls a plain white dress and sometimes a veil. Gifts of a religious nature are usually given, such as rosaries, prayer books, religious statues, icons, and holy cards. Monetary gifts are also common. First Communion photo of a girl in Argentina, 1923 Many families have formal professional photographs taken in addition to candid snapshots in order to commemorate the event. Some churches arrange for a professional photographer after the ceremony. History During the communist era, initiation into the pioneer movement in communist countries that had large Catholic populations was an overt attempt to supplant the Catholic ritual ( e.g., the Union of Pioneers of Yugoslavia ). In all cases, a child at the age of seven to ten is initiated as a member of a group within which the individuals share certain values and culture. Gallery Children from Argentina in 1920 Children from Holyrood School at England, in 1949 An Indian girl receiving her First Communion The decorated bread is a gift for the Catholic Church from children who had their first Communion in Poland. Candle as used for First Communion 2014 First Communion ceremony in the St. Nicholas Church in Čakovec, Croatia First Communion in Mexico City, Mexico See also Catholicism portal Communion and the developmentally disabled Confirmation Parish register References Jump up ^ See Quam Singulari. Jump up ^ Kerby, Jill ( May 3, 2016 ). `` First Communion Windfalls Need Careful Harvesting ''. Munster Express. Archived from the original on January 3, 2018. Retrieved January 2, 2018. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to First Communion. Quam singulari A Letter from the Vatican : First Penance, First Communion CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA : Communion of Children Structure of the Mass of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church Forms Pre-Tridentine Mass Tridentine Mass Extraordinary form Mass of Paul VI Types Low Mass Missa Cantata Solemn Mass Pontifical High Mass Papal Mass Ritual Masses Blue Mass Chapter and Conventual Mass Coronation Mass Nuptial Mass Red Mass Requiem Mass sine populo Votive Mass Order of Mass Pre-Mass Vesting prayers in the sacristy Asperges me Vidi aquam in Eastertide Liturgy of the Word Sign of the Cross Psalm 43 Entrance Antiphon Penitential Rite Confiteor / Kyrie Gloria Dominus vobiscum Collect Oremus First Reading Responsorial Psalm or Gradual Epistle Alleluia Gospel verse / sequence Gospel Homily Credo Niceno - Constantinopolitan Creed or Apostles ' Creed General Intercessions Liturgy of the Eucharist Offertory Orate fratres / prayer over the gifts Preface Sursum corda / Sanctus / Hosanna Eucharistic Prayer / Canon of the Mass oblation / epiclesis / Words of Institution / elevation / anamnesis texts and rubrics Roman Canon history Eucharistic Prayer II Memorial Acclamation Lord 's Prayer embolism / doxology Pax Sign of peace Agnus Dei Fraction Holy Communion Communion antiphon Ablutions Postcommunion Dismissal Ite, missa est / Benedicamus Domino Last Gospel Post-Mass Leonine Prayers Recessional hymn Participants Acolyte Altar server female Bishop Boat boy Cantor Choir Crucifer Deacon Extraordinary minister of Holy Communion Laity Eucharistic Congress Lector Priest Subdeacon Usher Parts of the Sanctuary / Altar Altar crucifix Altar rails Ambo Communion bench Credence table Kneeler Lavabo Misericord Piscina Tabernacle Altar cloths Altar linens Antependium Burse Chalice veil Corporal Lavabo towel Pall Purificator Candles and lamps Altar candle Altar candlestick Paschal candle Sanctuary lamp Triple candlestick Votive candle Liturgical objects Altar bell Aspergillum Censer Chalice Ciborium Collection basket Communion - plate Cruet Flabellum Funghellino Holy water Incense use Manuterge Paten Processional cross Pyx Sacramental bread wafer Sacramental wine ( or must ) Thurible Water Liturgical books of the Roman Rite Ceremonial of Bishops Evangeliary Gospel Book Graduale Lectionary Roman Missal Vestments Alb Amice Chasuble Dalmatic Episcopal sandals Liturgical colours Headcover Humeral veil Pallium Pontifical Stole Surplice Tunicle Vimpa Liturgical year ( Roman Calendar ) Advent Christmastide Ordinary Time Septuagesima Lent Passiontide Holy Week Paschal Triduum Eastertide Ascensiontide Eucharistic discipline Abstemius Anima Christi Concelebration Church etiquette Closed communion Communion and the developmentally disabled Communion under both kinds Denial of Communion Canon 915 Eucharistic fast First Communion Frequent Communion Genuflection Host desecration Infant communion Intinction Reserved sacrament Thanksgiving after Communion Viaticum Eucharistic theology Body and Blood of Christ Corpus Christi ( feast ) Crucifixion of Jesus and substitutionary atonement Epiousios Grace ex opere operato In persona Christi Historical roots of Catholic Eucharistic theology Koinonia Last Supper Mirae caritatis Mysterium fidei ( encyclical ) Origin of the Eucharist Real presence Transubstantiation Year of the Eucharist Stercoranism Regulations and concepts Ad orientem and versus populum Calendar of saints Canon law Code of Rubrics Commemoration Ecclesiastical Latin General Instruction of the Roman Missal Holy day of obligation Intercession of saints Ordinary and propers Pro multis Sunday Lord 's Day Vernacular Related Agape feast Catholic liturgy Christian prayer effects of prayer Congregation for Divine Worship Council of Trent Ecclesia de Eucharistia Eucharistic adoration and benediction Dominicae Cenae / Holy Hour Eucharistic miracle Fermentum Fourth Council of the Lateran Gelineau psalmody Gregorian chant History of the Roman Canon Lex orandi, lex credendi Liturgical Movement Liturgical reforms of Pope Pius XII Mediator Dei Missale Romanum ( apostolic constitution ) Pope Paul VI Catholic theology Sacraments of the Catholic Church Second Vatican Council Sacrosanctum concilium Summorum Pontificum Tra le sollecitudini Catholicism portal Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=First_Communion&oldid=850453816 '' Categories : Anglican Eucharistic theology Ceremonial food and drink Eucharist ( Catholic Church ) Lutheran Eucharistic theology Religion and children Rites of passage Roman Catholic Eucharistic theology Talk Contents About Wikipedia Català Čeština Deutsch Español Euskara Français Bahasa Indonesia Italiano Nederlands Norsk Polski Português Русский Tiếng Việt West - Vlams 7 more Edit links This page was last edited on 15 July 2018, at 23 : 53 ( UTC ). 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Question: when does a child have their first holy communion
Answer: between the ages of seven and thirteen