To cover living expenses and as a service to the Church we established a Host Bakery.

The word “host” (from the Latin hostia – sacrifice, oblation) is a reference in the Church to the unleavened bread used for the Eucharist. According to the faith of the Roman Catholic Church the host after consecration is the Body of Christ. The custom of using wafers made from wheat flour and water at the Eucharist came into the Western church around the time of Charlemagne in the XVIII–IX centuries.

We have baked communion wafers since 1955. At first the sisters baked by hand using iron plates, which to this day are used to make communion wafers with symbols.

The bakery is equipped with a bread maker. A hose pumps the dough in the bread maker and pours it into twelve hot baking irons that are heated to 180 degrees in precisely metered portions at distinct time intervals. Following a cycle the iron opens automatically and releases the freshly baked wafers. Then the wafers are laid out in a room with 80% humidity so that they could be easily cut from the plates. The wafers are selected and packed and sent to communities.

Despite the fact that modern technology facilitates the steps of preparing wafers, baking requires a lot of strength, endurance, and intuition. This work requires great care and it must be carried out with peace and concentration.