Eastern Eucharistic Theology

[MrPip]

What sources do we have that say the Roman church used leavened bread?

I wasn’t aware that the Western (“Roman”) Church used leavened bread. It certainly hasn’t since the schism, as far as I know. Maybe in the very early Church, in the West. Here’s a quote from the Catholic Encyclopedia–note the very last sentence:

*In the Christian liturgy bread is used principally as one of the elements of the Eucharistic sacrifice. Our Divine Lord consecrated bread and wine at the Last Supper, and commanded His disciples to do the same in commemoration of Him, and thus ever since bread made of beaten flour has been offered at the altar for the officiating priest to consecrate into the Body of the Lord. It is a debated question whether Christ used leavened or unleavened bread at the institution of the Holy Eucharist, since different conclusions may be drawn, on the one hand, from the gospel of St. John and the synoptic Gospels on the other. History does not establish conclusively what the practice of the Apostles and their successors was, but it may be asserted with some probability that they made use of whatever bread was at hand, whether azymous or fermented. Different customs gradually began to grow up in different localities and then became tradition and fixed. The Eastern Churches for the most part made use of leavened bread as they still do, while the western Churches declared their preference for unleavened bread. At the time of the schism this difference of practice gave rise to much discussion of the value of their respective claims in following the example of Christ, and fomented bitter controversy even in recent years. ***Either kind of bread is, of course, valid matter for the sacrifice, so the difference of usage should be of little dogmatic importance. ***
Here’s the link: newadvent.org/cathen/02749a.htm

In Christ,
Jeff

 

[ConstantineTG]

What sources do we have that say the Roman church used leavened bread?

History. I believe it was prior to the 4th century. Very early.

 

[dcointin]

History. I believe it was prior to the 4th century. Very early.

I’ll have to email history and see what documentation he provides

 

[ConstantineTG]

I’ll have to email history and see what documentation he provides

If I was able to find it with Google in the past, I’m sure you can too

 

[Vico]

In the Roman Church, bread and wine become God himself as the Priest says “this is my Body/Blood” (at that moment). I think that the Orthodox claim their is no particular second in which Metousiosis happens. How do eastern catholics handle this? This may not be that big of a deal in the east, since I know Orthodox are less concerned with seeing the Lord but moreso consuming Him.

The Orthodox Church added an explicit epiklesis to the Western Orthodox Mass because of the belief that it was necessary. The Eastern Catholic Churches do not deny the validity of the Latin Church liturgies without epiklesis.

In the Chaldean tradition there are no words of institution, but there is an epiklesis. The Vatican commented on the words of institution:

“… The Anaphora of Addai and Mari is notable because, from time immemorial, it has been used without a recitation of the Institution Narrative. As the Catholic Church considers the words of the Eucharistic Institution a constitutive and therefore indispensable part of the Anaphora or Eucharistic Prayer…” " from a historical, liturgical and theological perspective, at the end of which the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith on January 17th, 2001 concluded that this Anaphora can be considered valid. H.H. Pope John Paul II has approved this decision." … “… the words of Eucharistic Institution are indeed present in the Anaphora of Addai and Mari, not in a coherent narrative way and ad litteram, but rather in a dispersed euchological way, that is, integrated in successive prayers of thanksgiving, praise and intercession.”

The Catholic Church has for centuries had a Mass without an explicit epiklesis. So the consecration requires as a bare minimum, neither an explicit epiklesis, nor explicit words of institution, depending upon the liturgical traditions (since the Apostolic See approves the liturgies). Of course we not have both in many of the liturgies.

• • • • • For Reference - - - - -

CCC states:

1352 The anaphora: with the Eucharistic Prayer - the prayer of thanksgiving and consecration - we come to the heart and summit of the celebration:
In the preface, the Church gives thanks to the Father, through Christ, in the Holy Spirit, for all his works: creation, redemption, and sanctification. The whole community thus joins in the unending praise that the Church in heaven, the angels and all the saints, sing to the thrice-holy God.

1353 In the epiclesis, the Church asks the Father to send his Holy Spirit (or the power of his blessing180) on the bread and wine, so that by his power they may become the body and blood of Jesus Christ and so that those who take part in the Eucharist may be one body and one spirit (some liturgical traditions put the epiclesis after the anamnesis).

In the institution narrative, the power of the words and the action of Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit, make sacramentally present under the species of bread and wine Christ’s body and blood, his sacrifice offered on the cross once for all.

1354 In the *anamnesis *that follows, the Church calls to mind the Passion, resurrection, and glorious return of Christ Jesus; she presents to the Father the offering of his Son which reconciles us with him.

In the intercessions, the Church indicates that the Eucharist is celebrated in communion with the whole Church in heaven and on earth, the living and the dead, and in communion with the pastors of the Church, the Pope, the diocesan bishop, his presbyterium and his deacons, and all the bishops of the whole world together with their Churches.

 

[Hesychios]

The Orthodox Church added an explicit epiklesis to the Western Orthodox Mass because of the belief that it was necessary. The Eastern Catholic Churches do not deny the validity of the Latin Church liturgies without epiklesis.

In the Chaldean tradition there are no words of institution, but there is an epiklesis. The Vatican commented on the words of institution:

“… The Anaphora of Addai and Mari is notable because, from time immemorial, it has been used without a recitation of the Institution Narrative. As the Catholic Church considers the words of the Eucharistic Institution a constitutive and therefore indispensable part of the Anaphora or Eucharistic Prayer…” " from a historical, liturgical and theological perspective, at the end of which the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith on January 17th, 2001 concluded that this Anaphora can be considered valid. H.H. Pope John Paul II has approved this decision." … “… the words of Eucharistic Institution are indeed present in the Anaphora of Addai and Mari, not in a coherent narrative way and ad litteram, but rather in a dispersed euchological way, that is, integrated in successive prayers of thanksgiving, praise and intercession.”

The Catholic Church has for centuries had a Mass without an explicit epiklesis. So the consecration requires as a bare minimum, neither an explicit epiklesis, nor explicit words of institution, depending upon the liturgical traditions (since the Apostolic See approves the liturgies). Of course we not have both in many of the liturgies.

• • • • • For Reference - - - - -

CCC states:

1352 The anaphora: with the Eucharistic Prayer - the prayer of thanksgiving and consecration - we come to the heart and summit of the celebration:
In the preface, the Church gives thanks to the Father, through Christ, in the Holy Spirit, for all his works: creation, redemption, and sanctification. The whole community thus joins in the unending praise that the Church in heaven, the angels and all the saints, sing to the thrice-holy God.

1353 In the epiclesis, the Church asks the Father to send his Holy Spirit (or the power of his blessing180) on the bread and wine, so that by his power they may become the body and blood of Jesus Christ and so that those who take part in the Eucharist may be one body and one spirit (some liturgical traditions put the epiclesis after the anamnesis).

In the institution narrative, the power of the words and the action of Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit, make sacramentally present under the species of bread and wine Christ’s body and blood, his sacrifice offered on the cross once for all.

1354 In the *anamnesis *that follows, the Church calls to mind the Passion, resurrection, and glorious return of Christ Jesus; she presents to the Father the offering of his Son which reconciles us with him.

In the intercessions, the Church indicates that the Eucharist is celebrated in communion with the whole Church in heaven and on earth, the living and the dead, and in communion with the pastors of the Church, the Pope, the diocesan bishop, his presbyterium and his deacons, and all the bishops of the whole world together with their Churches.

Hi Vico,

Do you have any information on the types of bread used in the western churches for the confection of the Holy Eucharist? I figured if anyone knew, you would.

There have been a lot of interesting odds and ends about it but I don’t have anything collected myself anymore.

 

[Vico]

Hi Vico,

Do you have any information on the types of bread used in the western churches for the confection of the Holy Eucharist? I figured if anyone knew, you would.

There have been a lot of interesting odds and ends about it but I don’t have anything collected myself anymore.

I only am aware of a little on this topic. One interesting thing: unleavened bread was used in the liturgy of the Latin Church, the Maronites, and the Armenians, in the seventh and eighth centuries, by direct evidence (John Maro wrote of it), and likely in the third century also, and Ambrose mentioned unleavened bread in the fourth century in De sacramentus. The Syrians add some salt and oil. There were Greek and Roman rite liturgies side-by-side in Sicily and Magnae Graecia, so there was contention in those places over the issue, and in Constantinople with the Armenians.

Today the Latin Church uses wheat and water, and it can be whole wheat. But the Council of Florence declared that it was valid to use unleavened or leavened.

 

[joeantony]

I do not think that anyone can answer with absolute certainty that Jesus used leavened or unleavened bread while instituting the Holy Eucharist. I do not think the details of the last supper narrated in the Bible is enough to conclude if the institution of the sacrament was after observing the pass over as per Jewish tradition or if he skipped the Jewish tradition and directly instituted the sacrament. The question that has to asked is, did Jesus use the same bread that was made for Jewish Passover ? I am inclined to believe that he instituted the sacrament after the supper and I hold that opinion based on the book “dolorous passion of Lord Jesus Christ” by Anne Catherine Emmerich.
Joe