Historical development Eucharist in the Catholic Church

whether agape feast, full meal held christians in first centuries, in cases associated celebration of eucharist uncertain. in case, abuses connected celebration of full meal, abuses denounced apostles paul , jude, led distinct celebration of eucharist. form of celebration in middle of second century described justin martyr similar today s eucharistic rites known in west mass , in of east divine liturgy. regular celebration held each week on day called sunday, christians calling lord s day. included readings scripture, homily, prayer all, prayer president of brethren on bread , wine mixed water, respond amen , , distribution present of on have been given, while deacons take portions absent. there collection widows , orphans , in need because of reasons such sickness. justin wrote christians did not receive bread , wine mixed water on thanksgiving pronounced , called Εὐχαριστία (the eucharist - literally, thanksgiving), common bread , common drink, having been taught food blessed prayer of word, , our blood , flesh transmutation nourished, flesh , blood of jesus made flesh.

pope benedict xvi celebrates eucharist @ canonization of frei galvão in são paulo, brazil on 11 may 2007.

as justin indicated, word eucharist greek word εὐχαριστία (eucharistia), means thanksgiving. catholics typically restrict term communion reception of body , blood of christ communicants during celebration of mass , communion of saints.

earlier still, in 106, saint ignatius of antioch criticized abstain eucharist , public prayer, because not admit eucharist self-same body of our savior jesus christ, [flesh] suffered our sins, , father in goodness raised again (epistle smyrnaeans 6, 7). similarly, st. ambrose of milan countered objections doctrine, writing may perhaps say: bread ordinary. bread bread before words of sacraments; consecration has entered in, bread becomes flesh of christ (the sacraments, 333/339-397 a.d. v.2,1339,1340).

the earliest known use, in 1079, of term transubstantiation describe change bread , wine body , blood of christ hildebert de savardin, archbishop of tours (died 1133). did in response berengar of tours declaring eucharist symbolic. long before latin west, under influence of saint thomas aquinas (c. 1227-1274), accepted aristotelianism. (the university of paris founded between 1150 , 1170.)

in 1215, fourth lateran council used word transubstantiated in profession of faith, when speaking of change takes place in eucharist.

in 1551 council of trent officially defined consecration of bread , of wine, conversion made of whole substance of bread substance of body of christ our lord, , of whole substance of wine substance of blood; conversion is, holy catholic church, suitably , called transubstantiation. (session xiii, chapter iv; cf. canon ii).

the attempt twentieth-century catholic theologians present eucharistic change alteration of significance (transignification rather transubstantiation) rejected pope paul vi in 1965 encyclical letter mysterium fidei in 1968 credo of people of god, reiterated theological explanation of doctrine must hold twofold claim that, after consecration, 1) christ s body , blood present; , 2) bread , wine absent; , presence , absence real , not merely in mind of believer.

in encyclical ecclesia de eucharistia of 17 april 2003, pope john paul ii taught authority of bishops , priests function of vocation celebrate eucharist. governing authority flows priestly function, not other way around.