Star Metro - Bitter communion: Cuban priests ordered to ration mass wafers

On Sunday, several priests told AFP that they had been ordered to ration the small wafers intended to symbolize the body of Jesus Christ during mass.

Communion wafer is made from a mix of flour and water pressed into flat discs that the priest places on worshippers' tongues during mass.

All that wafer consumed by Cuba's Catholics is made at a Carmelite monastery in Havana, which like the rest of the city and country has been battling extended power cuts, made worse by a five-month-old US oil blockade.

In recent weeks, as Cuba's fuel supplies have begun to dry up, the outages have extended to over 24 hours at a stretch, causing misery for millions.

George Payano, a 35-year-old Dominican priest who officiated at a mass at Saint convent on Sunday, said the nuns sometimes had around two hours' electricity a day to work the communion wafer presses.

"That means lower production and as they (the nuns) told the priests and bishops you have to ration them a bit so that there are enough for all," he said.

While the 20 or so worshippers at his service did receive communion, they were preparing for leaner times ahead.

On exiting the church to find the power out again in the neighborhood, they vowed to keep the faith.

"People who don't receive communion can do so spiritually but let's hope it doesn't come to that," Mariela Shuman, a 70-year-old pensioner, told AFP.

L.Mitchell--SMC