Azmnus

Azmnus (from ἄζυμος, unleavened), fully, panis azymus, i.e. unleavened bread. The practice of the Latin Church of consecrating with unleavened bread was opposed by that of the Greek Church, which has always maintained the use of leavened bread in the holy mysteries. The chief reasons urged in support of this opinion against the schoolmen are the following: '

1. That the holy eucharist was originally consecrated from the oblations of the people, which, past all doubt, consisted of common bread and wine, and what remained was consumed by the priests, widows, and others.

2. Epiphanius notices it as a rite peculiar to the Ebionites that they consecrated with unleavened bread and water only.

3. That the ancients say plainly that the :bread used was common bread, "panis usitatus."' See Ambrose, De Sacr. 4:4.

4. The sixth canon of the Council of Toledo, A.D. 693, which condemns the practice of some priests who contented themselves with using common bread ("de paibus suis usibns praepa:atis .. .. anferant") cut into around form, and orders that the bread died at the altar shall be made on purpose (Labbe, 6:1327).

5. The tenth canon of Cealchythe, A.D. 785, which directs that "bread be offered by the faithful, and not crusts," "nol crusta" (Johnson, Eccles. Canons, vol. i), wheie cardinal Bona thinks that the. "crusta" implied unleavened bread.

6. The silence of the ancients as to the use of unleavened bread, whereas they do often speak of leavened bread.

7. The silence of Photius, who, when enumerating every possible cause of complaint against the Latins, omits all notice of their use of unleavened bread.

8. The fact that no law on the subject of the use of unleavened bread before the time of Photins is known. See Bingham, Orig. Eccl. XV, ii, 5; Martene, De Ant. Eccl. Rit. I, iii, 7; Suicer, Thesaurus, p. 106; Thomassin, Anc. et Nouv. Discip. pt. iii, lib. i, c. 14, No. 3. SEE AZYMITES; SEE BREAD; SEE ELEMENTS.