Did Early Christians Practice Infant Communion?
Early Christian writings do not clearly teach regular infant communion. Justin Martyr, the Didache, Ignatius, Irenaeus, and Cyprian say the Eucharist is for the baptized and for those living rightly. That makes the strongest early evidence indirect and mostly against infant communion as a normal practice.
132 early-church witnesses · 219 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about infant communion?
Early Christian writings give clear support for infant baptism and for treating the Eucharist as holy food for the baptized, but they do not give clear, direct support for routine infant communion. Justin Martyr, the Didache, Ignatius, Irenaeus, and Cyprian all stress that the Eucharist belongs to the baptized and to those living rightly, which points away from giving it to infants.
A few later lines mention children, infants, or even a boy bringing communion to an old man, but those do not plainly teach infant communion as a church practice. The best reading is that the evidence is indirect and mostly against the idea, with no strong early witness that infants regularly received communion. Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Justin Martyr and the Didache limit the Eucharist to baptized believers.
- Ignatius and Irenaeus describe the Eucharist as holy flesh and blood, not ordinary food.
- Cyprian ties communion to church order and warns about unworthy reception.
Questions Answered by the Sources
Who could receive the Eucharist in the early church?
The early Christian writings here say the Eucharist was given to baptized believers who lived as Christ commanded. Justin Martyr says only those who believed, were washed, and lived rightly could partake, and the Didache says no one should eat or drink unless baptized. Ignatius also treats the Eucharist as something that must be rightly administered in the church.
-
Didache, The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles Direct teaching
But let no one eat or drink of your Thanksgiving (Eucharist), but they who have been baptized into the name of the Lord;
-
Ignatius, Epistle to the Smyrnaeans (Short Version) Supporting witness
Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it.
-
Ignatius, The Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians (Short Version) Supporting witness
Do ye all come together in common, and individually, through grace, in one faith of God the Father, and of Jesus Christ His only-begotten Son, and “the first-born of every creature,” but of the seed of David according to the flesh, being under the guidance of the Comforter, in obedience to the bishop and the presbytery with an undivided mind, breaking one and the same bread, which is the medicine of immortality, and the antidote which prevents us from dying, but a cleansing remedy driving away evil, [which causes] that we should live in God through Jesus Christ.
Did early Christians give communion to infants?
The early Christian writings here do not clearly teach that infants regularly received communion. The strongest texts set baptism and right living as the normal requirements for the Eucharist, while the infant-related passages talk about infants being sanctified, children being honored, or a child receiving a tiny portion in an unusual case. That makes the evidence indirect rather than direct.
-
Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness
When, however, the solemnities were finished, and the deacon began to offer the cup to those present, and when, as the rest received it, its turn approached, the little child, by the instinct of the divine majesty, turned away its face, compressed its mouth with resisting lips, and refused the cup.
-
Dionysius of Alexandria, Epistles and Epistolary Fragments Supporting witness
But as an injunction had been issued by me, that persons at the point of death, if they requested it then, and especially if they had earnestly sought it before, should be absolved, in order that they might depart this life in cheerful hope, he gave the boy a small portion of the Eucharist, telling him to steep it in water and drop it into the old man's mouth.
-
Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book II Background
...imself. He came to help all through Himself—all, I say, who through Him are reborn to God—including infants, children, boys, youths, and old men. He went through every age, becoming an infant for infants, thereby sanctifying them; a child for children, sanctifying those who are of this age and becoming an example of piety, righteousness, and submission; a youth for youths, exemplifying and sanctifying them for the Lord. Likewise, He was an old man for old men, so He could be a perfect Master for everyone, not just through truth but also through age, sanctifying the elderly and becoming an example for them too. Finally, He faced death itself, that He might be "the first-born from the dead, that in all things He might have the pre-eminence," the Prince of life, existing before all and leading all.
-
Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book II Background
He therefore passed through every age, becoming an infant for infants, thus sanctifying infants;
What did early Christians believe the Eucharist was?
Early Christian writers describe the Eucharist as the body and blood of Christ, not common bread and drink. Ignatius says it is the flesh of Jesus Christ, Irenaeus says the cup is the communion of his blood and the bread is the communion of his body, and Justin Martyr says the blessed food is his flesh and blood. The Bible passages tied to this theme are 1 Corinthians 10:16, 11:27, and John 6:53-54.
-
Ignatius, Epistle to the Smyrnaeans (Short Version) Direct teaching
They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they do not acknowledge the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, who suffered for our sins, and whom the Father, in His goodness, raised up again. Those, therefore, who speak against this gift of God, bring upon themselves death in the midst of their disputes. Yet it would be better for them to treat it with respect, so that they might also rise again. It is fitting, therefore, that you should keep away from such people, and not speak of them either in private or in public, but to pay attention to the prophets, and above all, to the Gospel, in which the passion of Christ has been revealed to us, and the resurrection has been fully proven. But avoid all divisions, as they are the beginning of evils.
-
Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Direct teaching
...attain salvation, then the Lord did not redeem us with His blood, nor is the cup of the Eucharist a communion of His blood, nor the bread we break a communion of His body. Blood can only come from veins and flesh, along with everything else that makes up the substance of a person, just as the Word of God was truly made. He redeemed us by His own blood, as His apostle states, "In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the remission of sins." Since we are His members, we are also nourished by the creation (which He Himself grants us, as He causes His sun to rise and sends rain when He wishes). He has recognized the cup (a part of creation) as His blood, from which He nourishes our blood; and the bread (also part of creation) He has established as His body, from which He nourishes our bodies.
-
Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Supporting witness
When, therefore, the mixed cup and the made bread receive the Word of God, and the Eucharist of the blood and body of Christ is formed, from which the substance of our flesh is grown and sustained, how can they claim that the flesh is incapable of receiving the gift of God, which is eternal life, when this flesh is nourished from the body and blood of the Lord and is a part of Him? Just as the blessed Paul states in his letter to the Ephesians, that “we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.” He does not speak of some spiritual and invisible person, for a spirit does not have bones or flesh; but he is referring to the arrangement by which the Lord became an actual man, consisting of flesh, and nerves, and bones,—that flesh which is nourished by the cup that is His blood, and grows from the bread that is His body. And just as a branch from the vine planted in the ground bears fruit in its season, or as a grain of wheat falling into the earth and breaking down, rises with abundant growth by the Spirit of God, who holds all things, and then, through the wisdom of God, serves human use, and having received the Word of God, becomes the Eucharist, which is the body and
-
Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Supporting witness
...er change their opinion or stop offering the things just mentioned. But our opinion agrees with the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in turn supports our opinion. For we offer to Him His own, consistently announcing the fellowship and union of the flesh and Spirit. For just as the bread, which is produced from the earth, when it receives the invocation of God, is no longer common bread but the Eucharist, consisting of two realities, earthly and heavenly; so also our bodies, when they receive the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible, having the hope of the resurrection to eternity.
-
Justin Martyr, The First Apology Supporting witness
This food is called among us [the Eucharist], and only those who believe that our teachings are true, have been washed with the washing for the remission of sins and renewal, and live as Christ instructed, are allowed to partake. We do not receive these as common bread and drink, but in the same way that Jesus Christ our Savior became flesh by the Word of God and had flesh and blood for our salvation, we have been taught that the food blessed by His word and prayer, which nourishes our blood and flesh through transformation, is the flesh and blood of Jesus who became flesh. The apostles, in the writings they composed, which are called Gospels, have passed down to us what Jesus instructed them: that He took bread, gave thanks, and said, "Do this in remembrance of Me, this is My body;" and in the same way, after taking the cup and giving thanks, He said, "This is My blood;" and gave it to them alone. The wicked devils have imitated this in the mysteries of Mithras, commanding the same actions. You either know or can learn that bread and a cup of water are used with certain incantations in the mystical rites of someone being initiated.
-
Justin Martyr, The First Apology Supporting witness
And this food is called among us [the Eucharist], of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined.
-
1 Corinthians 10:16 Direct teaching
The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
-
1 Corinthians 11:27 Direct teaching
Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.
-
1 Corinthians 11:29 Supporting witness
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
-
John 6:54 Direct teaching
Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
-
John 6:53 Direct teaching
So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
-
Mark 14:22 Supporting witness
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”
More related quotations from this section 1 shown
-
Matthew 26:26 Supporting witness
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”
Common Questions
Did the early church give communion to infants?
Not clearly in the early writings here. The strongest sources say only the baptized and rightly living should receive the Eucharist.
Is there any early Christian support for infant communion?
There are a few indirect and later references to infants or children, but no clear early witness that infants normally received communion.
Source Index for Infant communion
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 160 ranked source links from 219 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 160 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 132
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
-
Ignatius, The Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians (Short Version)
-
Didache, Connection to Mark 14:22
Bible Passages 80 shown of 87
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.
-
Book 80 1:15