- Best overall: the Sudbury etched grape vine set, 24kt gold plated brass with a 12 oz cup.
- Best for daily Mass in a small chapel: the compact 5 oz two-tone antique silver set.
- Best for travel: the Holy Family set with carrying case or the Needzo travel Mass kit.
- For Catholic use, choose a nonabsorbent cup gilded on the inside when the metal is less precious than gold, and have the vessels blessed before first use.
- Size the chalice to your congregation: 5 oz for a priest alone, 12 to 16 oz when the Precious Blood is offered to the faithful.
Finding the best chalice and paten starts with a question many buyers skip: who will drink from it, and how many? A chalice for a priest's private Mass in a hospital chapel is a very different vessel from one used by a eucharistic minister distributing the Precious Blood to two hundred people on Sunday.
Below are nine sets and companion vessels from our catalog, with measurements, finishes and capacities taken from the makers' specifications. We also cover what the General Instruction of the Roman Missal says about materials, how to size a chalice, and how to keep gold plating bright for decades.
Our picks
Sudbury Etched Grape Vine Chalice and Paten, 12 oz
This set gets the fundamentals right: polished 24kt gold plated brass, a 12 ounce cup with a 4 in top diameter, and a classic engraved grape and leaf band that suits almost any church interior. At 7.5 in tall with a 3.75 in base it is stable on the altar and easy for ministers to handle. For most parishes it is the best chalice and paten to start with.
- 24kt gold plated brass
- Versatile 12 oz capacity
- Timeless grape and leaf engraving
- Base is fairly narrow at 3.75 in
Trinity Church Supply Dual Finish Chalice and Paten, 12 oz
Parishes that want the chalice, paten and ciborium to match should start here. The footed brass chalice is gold plated with a dual finish, holds 12 ounces in a 3.75 in cup, and is made from lead-free, food-safe brass. The maker offers a matching Dual Finish Ciborium with a Loaves and Fish cover, so the altar looks unified.
- Lead-free, food-safe brass
- Matching ciborium available
- 12 oz capacity
- Height not stated
- Ciborium sold separately
Needzo Brass Chalice and Paten, Loaves and Fishes Node, 8 in
The node, the knob on the stem that gives the celebrant a secure grip during the elevation, is where this chalice stands out: an etched loaves and fishes motif in silver tone against gold plated brass. It stands 8 in tall with a 4 in cup, holds 12 ounces, and is made from food-safe materials, with a matching paten.
- Distinctive loaves and fishes node
- 8 in height suits most altars
- Food-safe materials
- Two-tone node will not suit every interior
Sudbury Two-Tone Antique Silver Chalice and Paten, 5 oz
When the priest alone receives from the chalice, a large cup is just more to purify. This compact 5.5 in chalice holds 5 ounces, with a 3.13 in gold plated cup, an embossed antique silver stem and a 4 in paten. For hospital chapels, convents, seminaries and a priest's personal set, it is the best chalice and paten in this size.
- Right-sized 5 oz cup
- Gold plated cup
- Elegant two-tone stem
- Too small for distribution to the faithful
Sudbury Holy Family Chalice and Paten with Case, 7.5 oz
Visiting clergy, retreat masters and hospital chaplains need vessels that survive a car trunk. This 24kt gold plated solid brass chalice stands 9.5 in tall with a 7.5 ounce cup, has Holy Family emblems on its 5.2 in base, and comes with a 5 in paten and a protective case. The taller stem gives a dignified presence even on a borrowed table.
- Protective carrying case
- Solid brass, 24kt gold plated
- Wide, stable 5.2 in base
- Taller than most travel sets
Gothic Silver Plated Chalice and Paten, Holy Family Panels
For a parish with a Gothic interior or a priest who wants a classic ordination chalice, this European-made set has a silver plated exterior, a gold plated interior and Holy Family panels. The chalice is 8 1/4 in tall with a 4 1/8 in cup and a generous 5 3/4 in base, and the paten is 5 3/4 in across.
- Gold plated inside the cup
- Wide 5 3/4 in base
- European made
- Capacity not stated
- Silver plate needs regular polishing
Sudbury Last Supper Chalice and Bowl Paten, 16 oz
With a 16 ounce capacity and a 6 in bowl paten 1.25 in deep, this set is built for Sundays. The bowl shape holds far more hosts than a flat paten, useful where the faithful receive hosts consecrated at the same Mass. The brass chalice is 7 in tall with Last Supper engraving, a nickel plated finish and 24kt gold accents.
- Large 16 oz capacity
- Deep bowl paten
- Last Supper engraving
- Confirm the cup interior finish meets your norms
Needzo Brass Travel Mass Kit, Chalice, Paten and Pyx
For a priest who celebrates in several locations or visits the sick, this brass set covers the essentials in a small footprint: a 6 in chalice with a 3.75 in cup, a 4.5 in paten and a 2.75 in lidded pyx. Pair it with a corporal and purificator from your sacristy and it fits in a briefcase.
- Chalice, paten and pyx together
- Compact for travel
- Secure pyx lid
- No case mentioned
- Interior finish not specified
Needzo 300 Host Stacking Ciborium, Hammered Lid
A chalice and paten rarely work alone at a parish Mass. This low stacking ciborium holds 300 hosts, measures 5 1/8 in across and 3 3/8 in high, and is lead-free, food-safe brass with 24kt gold plate and a hammered lid. Its low profile stacks neatly in the tabernacle.
- Holds 300 hosts
- Stacks in the tabernacle
- 24kt gold plate
- Hammered finish differs from smooth chalices
How to choose the best chalice and paten
Materials the Church asks for
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM, nos. 327 to 333) asks that sacred vessels be made of precious metal, and that vessels of a metal less precious than gold be ordinarily gilded on the inside. Cups for the Blood of the Lord must be of nonabsorbent material. In the US, other solid, noble materials may be used, while glass, earthenware and other easily broken materials are excluded. This is why gold plated brass, with a gold plated interior, is the standard.
Protestant churches using a common cup or intinction have more freedom, but food-safe, lead-free metal and a smooth interior are still the sensible baseline.
Capacity
- 5 to 7.5 oz: the priest alone, or a few communicants.
- 12 oz: the parish workhorse, as a main chalice or as one of several for ministers of the cup.
- 16 oz: larger Sunday Masses where the faithful receive under both kinds.
Fill a chalice no more than about two-thirds full so it can be lifted and passed without spills.
Height, node and base
A chalice of 7 to 9 in sits comfortably on most altars. Look for a pronounced node to grip during the elevation, and a base wider than the cup so the vessel does not tip when a minister sets it down.
Best chalice and paten sets compared
| Pick | Finish | Size | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sudbury grape vine | 24kt gold plated brass | 7.5 in, 12 oz | Most parishes |
| Trinity dual finish | Gold plated, lead-free brass | 12 oz, 3.75 in cup | Matching altar sets |
| Needzo loaves and fishes | Gold plated brass, silver node | 8 in, 12 oz | Symbolic design |
| Sudbury two-tone 5 oz | Gold cup, antique silver stem | 5.5 in, 5 oz | Daily Mass |
| Sudbury Holy Family with case | 24kt gold plated solid brass | 9.5 in, 7.5 oz | Travel |
| Gothic Holy Family panels | Silver outside, gold inside | 8 1/4 in | Traditional churches |
| Sudbury Last Supper | Nickel with gold accents | 7 in, 16 oz | Large congregations |
| Needzo travel Mass kit | Brass | 6 in chalice | Sick calls |
| Needzo stacking ciborium | 24kt gold plated brass | 300 hosts | Companion vessel |
Does a new chalice need to be blessed?
Yes, for Catholic use. The GIRM asks that sacred vessels be blessed before liturgical use according to the rite in the Roman liturgical books, a short blessing any priest can give. Plan it before the vessel's first Mass, not during it.
How we chose
We did not use these vessels at Mass. To find the best chalice and paten for each need, we compared the makers' stated materials, plating, capacities and dimensions against liturgical norms and real parish needs, from a priest's daily Mass to a full Sunday with ministers of the cup. Where a listing omits a detail that matters, such as interior finish or capacity, we flag it.
Care tips and mistakes to avoid
- Polish with a soft cloth only. Abrasive cleaners wear through gold plating.
- Rinse, then dry immediately after purification; water spots dull plating.
- Never use a dishwasher. Heat and detergents strip finishes.
- Store in a lined case or cloth bag so vessels do not scratch each other.
- Do not buy only one chalice if the Precious Blood is offered to the faithful; you need one per minister of the cup.
For linens, see Mass linens explained; for the full family of vessels, our sacred vessels guide.
Questions
What is the best chalice and paten material?
For Catholic use, precious metal or gold plated brass with a gold plated, nonabsorbent interior is the standard. Glass, pottery and other breakable materials are not permitted.
What size chalice do I need?
A 5 oz chalice suits a priest celebrating alone. Choose 12 to 16 oz when the Precious Blood is offered to the faithful, or several 12 oz chalices for multiple ministers.
What is a paten used for?
The paten is the plate that holds the host, or hosts, from the offertory through the consecration and communion. A bowl paten holds more hosts than a flat one.
Can a chalice be made of brass?
Yes. Brass is not a precious metal, so for Catholic use it should be gold plated, at least on the inside of the cup.
How do you clean a gold plated chalice?
After the vessel is purified at Mass, give it a first rinse into the sacrarium, wash it in warm water, dry it at once with a soft cloth, and polish only with a soft cloth. Avoid abrasive polishes and dishwashers.
Sources
Product links go to the store page, where price and availability are current. Church Supply may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.