A pyx is a container used in Catholic and Anglican religious practice to carry the Eucharist to those unable to travel. They come in different shapes and sizes and have been used for centuries. The term “pyx” has different meanings in different religious communities.
A pyx, which may also be spelled “pix”, is a small box or sort of container that is used in Catholic and Anglican religious practice to carry the Eucharist to church members who are unable to travel to receive the Holy Communion.
Most often, a church official uses a pyx to bring the Eucharist to sick, injured, disabled, or disabled individuals in the religious community. It is also common for a missionary to carry a pyx to carry the Eucharist on a mission. With simply a pyx filled with the Eucharist and a breviary to guide the ceremony, a missionary may be able to offer communion to a large group.
Over the centuries the pyx has been recreated and redesigned. There are some that are made of metal while others are made of glass or wood. They range from elaborate to simple, large to palm-sized. Almost every pyx, however, is round so as to match or simply reflect the shape of the host within it. Each pyx is made with a fitted lid. Most modern ones are the size and shape of a pocket watch and open like seashells.
The term “pyx” comes from the Greek word pyxis, which means box or container. The plural form of the word is “pyxides”. The term “bag” is used to describe a bag or pouch of fabric that is used to carry a pyx. Since the term has been used for many years and translated into use by different sects and churches, the word “pyx” has a different meaning in some religious communities. In Roman Catholic practice, a pyx might also be called a “lunette.” In Greek Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, the word pyx may be used to describe the tabernacle used to hold a wafer intended specifically for Lent.
While the pyx’s design, shape, components, and specific use have changed over the years, it has always been a container intended to hold or carry that Eucharist. In this sense, the function of the pyx has never changed. An ornate silver pyx the size of a small melon used in 15th-century Spain serves exactly the same purpose as a small glass pyx used in the Bronx today.
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