Is there any evidence that in the middle ages (specifically in France and maybe Spain), there was a wafer/bread given to the priests as a gift for the priest and not given to be used for Eucharist?
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Is there any evidence that in the middle ages (France and maybe Spain), there was a wafer/bread given to the priests as a gift for the priest?
There is no direct historical proofs of this, but it stands to reason that this did occasionally happened.
The Romanum Rituale of 1614 had six blessings for bread outside the tradition of blessing bread for Easter. Tradition tells us that sometimes bread blessed by bishops or priests were blessed and given to their friends. Certainly, some of their friends would by fellow priests.
The little loaves or cakes of bread which received a special benediction and were then sent by bishops and priests to others, as gifts in sign of fraternal affection and ecclesiastical communion were also called eulogiae. Persons to whom the eulogia was refused were considered outside the communion of the faithful, and thus bishops sometimes sent it to an excommunicated person to indicate that the censure had been removed. Later, when the faithful no longer furnished the altar-bread, a custom arose of bringing bread to the church for the special purpose of having it blessed and distributed among those present as token of mutual love and union, and this custom still exists in the Western Church, especially in France. This blessed bread was called panis benedictus, panis lustratus, panis lustralis, and is now known in France as pain bénit. It differs from the eulogia mentioned above, because it is not a part of the oblation from which the particle to be consecrated in the Mass is selected, but rather is common bread which receives a special benediction. In many places it is the custom for each family in turn to present the bread on Sundays and feast days, while in other places only the wealthier families furnish it. Generally the bread is presented with some solemnity at the Offertory of the parochial Mass, and the priest blesses it before the Oblation of the Host and Chalice, but different customs exist in different dioceses. The prayer ordinarily used for the blessing is the first or second: benedictio panis printed in the Roman missal and ritual. The faithful were exhorted to partake of it in the church, but frequently it was carried home. This blessed bread is a sacramental, which should excite Christians to practice especially the virtues of charity, and unity of spirit, and which brings blessings to those who partake of it with due devotion. The Church, when blessing it, prays that those who eat it may receive health both of soul and body: "ut omnes ex eo gustantes inde corporis et animae percipant sanitatem"; "ut sit omnibus sumentibus salus mentis et corporis". In some instances the pain bénit was used not only with superstitious intent, and its virtues exaggerated beyond measure, but also for profane purposes. This usage was brought from France to Canada, and was practised chiefly in the province of Quebec. There the pain bénit had blessed immediately after the Asperges, and then distributed to those who assisted at high Mass. The parishioners furnished it in turn, and vied with one another in presenting as rich and fine a pain bénit as possible, until finally the bishops, seeing that it entailed too much expense upon the poor circumstances, prohibited it. Within the last twenty-five and thirty years the custom has almost entirely disappeared.
In the present Roman ritual there are six blessings for bread. Two of these are entitled simply benedictio panis, and as mentioned above, are often used for blessing the panis benit. The third entitled benedictio panis et placentarum (blessing of bread and cakes), is found in the appendix among the blessings which are not reserved. The other three are approved for particular localities, and are special blessings given under the invocation of certain saints, usually on their feast days, in order to gain special favours through their intercession. The first, approved for the Archdiocese of Cologne, is a blessing of bread, water, and salt given under the invocation of St. Hubert; the second, approved for the Diocese of Bois-le-Duc, is a blessing of bread and water under the invocation of St. Machutus, and the third, for the Diocese of Urgel, is a blessing of bread, wine, water, and fruit to be used on the feast of St. Blasius. Some other places have local of blessing bread on certain feast days, as for instance on the feasts of St. Genevieve, of St. Nicholas of Tolentino and others. - Liturgical Use of Bread
The tradition of blessing bread in the Middle Ages was quite popular. I can not imagine that priests were not the beneficiaries of such pious devotions.
In Great Britain, sweet currant-filled buns decorated with a cross—and aptly named hot cross buns—are traditionally prepared for Good Friday. The custom dates back at least to the Middle Ages, and some still insist that baking hot cross buns on Good Friday will protect a home from all sorts of calamities during the upcoming year, including fire and bad luck. During the 1500s, when a law prohibited the sale of hot cross buns except on Good Friday, Christmas, and for burials, people made hot cross buns at home to get by.
Portuguese Sweet Bread has traveled the globe; it has taken hold where larger populations of Portuguese immigrants settled, including Hawaii and New England. Called folar in Portuguese, it is traditionally made during Easter. There is a savory variation called folar de Chaves, which is stuffed with ham, linguiça, and salpicão.
These loaves are just a sample of some of the rich bread traditions associated with Easter. When it comes to the holidays, bread has played an important role in holiday meals across many different cultures and traditions. Modernist Bread includes a number of recipes for different traditional holiday breads, including Colomba di Pasqua as well as Portuguese Sweet Bread. - The Tradition of Easter Bread
Blessed bread has been a tradition in both France and Spain also.
Blessed Bread, 'First Neighbours' and Asymmetric Exchange in the Basque Country
As I mentioned above that I can not find any direct historical evidence that priests themselves received such gifts, I find it highly doubtful that they would have been overlooked, especially in communities that very supportive of their pastors, notably at Christmas (Christmas Baking and Bread Blessing).
In some places a priest is given bread to bless. Once blessed he keeps a little for himself and gives the rest away, as this modern tradition explains:
In the town of Deir el Qamar in the Shouf where our family originates,we would buy this sweet bread at the store; usually, we’d finish it before getting home.
It has no eggs, but all the best flavourings, mastic, mahlab, orange blossom and rose water, nutmeg and some milk. For the sake of authenticity, I used a mold I got online from a purveyor of Greek-based goods, as it is the same mold used in Lebanon. It has an inscription in Greek Christ is risen or something like that; ( I don’t read Greek!). According to Chef Ramzi, this holy bread recipe is from the Greek Catholic Church in Lebanon. It represents the body of Christ and is distributed at church, sold in stores and bakeries; traditionally it was made at home on certain occasions and given to the priest to bless, keep some and give out the rest.
The following may be of interest:
answered Nov 29, 2021 at 3:28
