How was communion conducted during the Prohibition by the churches that uses wine not grape juice?
There was an exemption for sacramental wine. Interestingly, the demand for sacramental wine went up drastically after Prohibition was passed, indicating that many more people were taking Communion than before.
Communion wine had an exemption from the laws forbidding alcoholic beverages (for the same reason that tincture medicines are exempt – they’re not for imbibing but have particular other purposes: whether or not you believe in the spiritual effects of communion, no one receives communion in order to get a drink of wine.)
I remember several years back reading something about a couple of the vineyards in the infant American wine industry eking out a precarious survival producing communion wine, and having some major documentation required to assure that what they produced went to churches. not to speakeasies.
When Charles Lindbergh returned to New York the his sponsers were unable to get a pharmacist to sell them any champagne unless they had a permit or perscription. So they had to go around to a bunch of churchs to get clergy to write them permits for "
sacramental champagne".
Did the exception extend to other religious ceremonies? Jews make kiddush at home twice every shabbos (not to mention holidays) so it probably would be very hard to regulate.
ETA: And once more at the close of shabbos. And most synagogues make a communal kiddush Saturday morning, in addition to the ones at home.
In some small southern rural churches, the communion wine was made by the deacons, using muscadines or blackberries or whatever else was easily available. Prohibition didn’t affect them at all.
Yes, kosher wine for use in Jewish religious ceremonies was allowed via special permits as well.
It’s not clear just how much of abuse of religious and medical dispensations occurred. A documentary I saw a while back claimed such use increased, but not to an alarming degree. Possibly, it was simply too easy to get booze from bootleggers and the like.
In Catholic churches back then communion was rarely given under both species – common parisioners getting wine at Communion is largely a post-Vatican II thing.
One winery in upstate New York (Cribari, maker of Barry Wines) continued to make sacramental wine during Prohibition, but they had a full stock of secular ready the day Prohibition ended, as I leatned on a tour of the winery many years ago.
I toured another winery in New York a long time ago - Brother, I think, and they also said they were open during Prohibition making sacramental wine.
Please note that this was covered by the Straight Dope Science Advisory Board many years back: What did the Catholic church use for altar wine during Prohibition? - The Straight Dope
Are there any similar exemptions due to religious practice? For instance, I don’t believe Rastafari are allowed to smoke ganja, are they?
…And now, from quick wikiing, I learn that, according to Rastafarianism, my mother actually met God incarnate. :eek:
Not really an issue since the “Prohibition” was against selling, not drinking. The Church would need wine whether just for the priest or for the whole congregation. It would just be a matter of quantity and not that much quantity in all.
I believe the Native American Church used/uses peyote in their rituals.
Peyote use is allowed under federal law for use by some Native American religions.
During prohibition you could buy some ingredients to make booze or beer and on the label it would say “It is illegal to make beer using this recipe” and they would print the recipe.
The Episcopal Church has long given communion under both species to the congregation.
Grape growers produced ‘wine bricks’ (pressed grapes) which included instructions for making grape juice on one side. Something like - mix with water to make juice.
But on the other side was a big red caution on what NOT to do, lest you end up with an alcoholic product -
*
Caution! Never mix contents in two gallons of water to which you have added a pinch of yeast, and one pound of sugar. If this mixture is left to stand in a cloth covered container for two weeks, an ALCOHOLIC beverage will result, which is illegal. *
Often times it was sold with packets or tablets of yeast attached.
The 2 largest producers of the bricks, assisted by hefty grants from the federal farm relief program, were Vino Sano, and Fruit Industries, who also made the Vine-Glo concentrate (which was actually more of a service when it was introduced) mentioned in the linked staff report .