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The Eucharist is either the Christian sacrament of consecrated bread and wine or the ritual surrounding it. The term "Eucharist" is used mainly in Roman Catholic, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox and Lutheran traditions, and is based upon the Greek word ευχαριστω, eucharisto, meaning to give thanks or to rejoice. The form of the ritual within the liturgy and its attendant theology vary from tradition to tradition. Many Protestant traditions refer to " Communion", a term used abundantly in Roman Catholic and Orthodox circles as well. See also The Lord's Supper.
1 Historical roots of the Eucharist
Institution. The three synoptic GospelsThe Synoptic Gospels are the Gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke. These Gospels tell the story of Jesus from a similar point of view, often using the same stories and even the same words. The term "synoptic" is derived from a combination of the Greek words (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) as well as Saint PaulPaul of Tarsus (originally Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul the Apostle (c. 66) is considered by many Christians to be the most important disciple of Jesus, and next to Jesus the most important figure in the development of Christianity. Paul is recognized by's first Letter to the Corinthians contain versions of the so-called "Words of Institution" spoken by Jesus at the Last Supper: "Take, eat, this is my body.... Take, drink, this is my blood.... Do this in remembrance of me." All subsequent celebration of the Eucharist is based on this injunction.
See also: Historical roots of Catholic Eucharistic theologyThe historical roots of Catholic Eucharistic theology are the basis upon which a number of ecclesial communities, or churches, express their faith in the "bread of life" as given by Jesus, and are to be found in the Church Fathers, Scripture, and other ea
2 Eucharistic theologies
The Eucharist has always been at the center of Christian worship. Every Christian tradition has its own theology to explain the meaning of this central sacrament, agreeing in places with other traditions, disagreeing in other places, and sometimes describing seemingly identical concepts with very different language. In general, the following is true for Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox traditions: The Eucharist is seen as the fulfillment of the Divine Economy (God's plan for the salvationIn Christianity, salvation is arguably the most important spiritual concept, second only to the divinity of Jesus Christ. For many Christians, the primary goal of religion is to attain salvation. Others maintain that the primary goal of Christians is to d of humanity from sinThis page is about sin in the context of religion. For other meanings, see Sin (disambiguation Sin has always been a term most usually used in a religious context, and today describes any lack of conformity to the will of God; especially, any willful disr), a commemoration of Jesus's CrucifixionJesus typically, and inaccurately, show him supported by nails through the palms. Crucifixion is an ancient method of execution, in which the victim was tied or nailed to a large wooden cross ( Latin: crux and left to hang there until dead. Crucifixion ha on CalvaryCalvary Golgotha was the hill outside Jerusalem on which Jesus was crucified. Calvaria in Latin and Gol Goatha in Hebrew both mean "(a place of) a skull", referring to a hill or plateau containing a pile of skulls or to a geographic feature resembling a s and his Resurrection, the means for Christians to unite with God and with each other, and the giving of thanks for all of these things. Differences in Eucharistic theology tend to be related to differences in understanding of these areas as well.
