Communion Cups

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The common cup, also called a communion cup is a sacred vessel used in the distribution of the communion wine during Holy Communion. The difference between a chalice and a common cup is that the chalice is usually larger, more ornate or more unique to signify it's primary use by the priest, over the more common cup, used by the Eucharistic Ministers or lay people in the distribution of the precious blood. 

Common cups are generally made of either high quality, solid brass and then 24k gold plated or silver plated.

Most of our communion cups are lined in 24k gold which holds up better than silver to the acidity of the wine.

We also carry lead-free pewter common cups. Pewter is very durable and does not react with wine so it is good choice for services where 24k gold is not required by Canon Law or other church or logistical requirements.

Cannon Law generally calls for the cup interior to be lined in 24k Gold, although exceptions do exist. As a practical matter, most of our cups that are described or pictured as "Gold" are entirely plated in 24k Gold on the outside and the cup interior is lined in 24k Gold. The vast majority of cups we sell are 24k Gold Plated. The bulk of the remainder of the cups we sell feature silver exteriors (plated or oxidized) with 24k gold plated or lined interiors. Stainless and pewter are not big sellers for a variety of reasons. If your church is Catholic and in the USA, you almost always should be using 24k gold lined cups (as opposed to unlined cups, glass, ceramic, wood) unless your bishop has approved the use of a different material for some reason.

For churches seeking an even finer vessel, we offer sterling silver cups instead of the usual brass cup. The sterling cups are more expensive than brass, but they do offer the added advantage of being less prone to pitting from the acidity of the communion wine. Theoretically, a gold-lined sterling cup should be no more resistant to pitting than a gold-lined brass cup, and in initial use, that is typically what you will find. But as time goes by and cups are repeatedly wiped or cleaned (often improperly), the gold plating can wear off, exposing the base metal. When this wear occurs, the brass cups tend to pit sooner/more than a sterling cup would. 

Proper care of your communion cups is essential to keeping them free from pitting. Immediately following the service, the wine should be rinsed out (in the sacrarium sink) taking care not to submerse the cup in water or allow water to touch the point of contact between the base and cup. (Water can get into this crack and cause corrosion of the interior of the base). Gently wipe the exterior with a clean, soft flannel cloth (you are tying to avoid scratching the soft, 24k gold plating) to remove fingerprint oils and diirt that could scratch the gold. You can generally let the cups air dry. If necessary to use a soap for cleaning, we suggest wetting your clean fingers and than applying a drop of a non-abrasive dishwashing liquid to your fingers. lightly and quickly rub your fingers under running water to create a sudsy film on your fingers, then wipe your fingers around the rim and interior of the cup to gently remove dirt, lipstick, etc. Rinse with clean water and allow to air dry or gently blot dry with a clean cloth. NEVER use an abrasive cleaner or any type of polish on a cup. Most polished contain abrasives which will scratch the gold plating. TIP: Remove your jewelry (rings, watches, bracelets) and don cotton gloves before handling Sacred Vessels to preserve their finish. 

Once a Sacred Vessel is starting to show signs of wear, interior cup scratching, pitting, etc. you should consider refinishing and re-goldplating or replacement of the vessel.