The elevation of the Host
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The celebrant lifting up the consecrated wafers above his head, that the people may see the paten and adore the Host while his back is turned to the congregation.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “The elevation of the Host” mean?
The celebrant lifting up the consecrated wafers above his head, that the people may see the paten and adore the Host while his back is turned to the congregation.
Is “The elevation of the Host” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.