 | The examples and perspective in this articlemay notinclude all significant viewpoints. Pleaseimprove the article ordiscuss the issue.(July 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Part ofa series on |
| Christianity |
|---|
 |
Blood of Christ, also known as theMost Precious Blood, inChristian theology refers to the physicalblood actually shed byJesus Christ primarily on theCross, and thesalvation whichChristianity teaches was accomplished thereby, or thesacramental blood (wine) present in theEucharist or Lord's Supper, that some Christian denominations believe to be the same blood of Christ shed on the Cross.
TheCatholic Church,Eastern Orthodox Church, theOriental Orthodox churches, theAssyrian andAncient Churches of the East, andLutherans, together withhigh churchAnglicans, know this as thereal presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The Catholic Church uses the termtransubstantiation to describe the change of thebread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. The Eastern Orthodox Churches used the same term to describe the change, as in the decrees of the 1672Synod of Jerusalem,[1] and the Catechism of St. Philaret (Drozdov) of Moscow.[2]
The Lutheran churches follow the teaching ofMartin Luther in defining the presence of Christ in the eucharistic elements assacramental union (often misconstrued asconsubstantiation), meaning that the fundamental "substance" of the body and blood of Christ are literally presentalongside the substance of the bread and wine, which remain present. Lutherans too believe in and teach the Real Presence. OtherProtestant churches reject the idea of the Real Presence; they observe eucharistic rites as memorials.
In the early Church, thefaithful received the Eucharist in the form ofconsecrated bread and wine.Saint Maximus explains that in theOld Law the flesh of thesacrificial victim was shared with the people, but the blood of the sacrifice was merely poured out on thealtar. Under theNew Law, however, Jesus's blood was the drink shared by all ofChrist'sfaithful. St.Justin Martyr, an earlyChurch Father of the 2nd century, speaks of the Eucharist as the same body and blood of Christ that was present in hisIncarnation.
The tradition continued in the Church in the East to commingle the species of bread and wine, whereas in the West, the Church had the practice ofcommunion under the species of bread and wine separately as the custom, with only a small fraction of bread placed in thechalice. In the West, the communion at the chalice was made less and less efficient, as the dangers of the spread of disease and danger of spillage (which would potentially besacrilegious) were considered enough of a reason to remove the chalice from common communion altogether, or giving it on only special occasions. However, it was always consecrated and drunk by the priest, regardless of whether or not thelaity partook. This was one of the issues debated during theProtestant Reformation.[3] As a consequence, the Catholic Church first wanted to eliminate ambiguity, reaffirming that Christwas present as body and as blood equally under both species of bread and wine.[3] As time went on, the chalice was made more available to the laity. After theSecond Vatican Council, the Catholic Church gave a full permission for all to receive communion from the chalice at everyMass involving a congregation, at the discretion of the priest.[4]
_-_Santa_Maria_della_Scalla_-_Siena_2016_(4).jpg)
 |
| Part ofa series on |
| Devotions to Jesus in the Catholic Church |
|---|
 |
| Devotions |
| Prayers |
 Catholic Church portal |
TheCatholic Church teaches that the bread and wine, through transubstantiation, become the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ—in other words, the whole Christ—when consecrated.
Devotion to the Precious Blood was a special phenomenon ofFlemish piety in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, that gave rise to theiconic image ofGrace as the "Fountain of Life", filled with blood, pouring from the wounded "Lamb of God" or theHoly Wounds of Christ. The image, that was the subject of numerousFlemish paintings, was in part spurred by the renowned relic of the Precious Blood, which had been noted inBruges at least since the twelfth century,[5] and gave rise, from the late thirteenth century, to the observances, particular to Bruges, of the procession of the "Saint Sang" from its chapel.[6]
Various prayers are part of the Catholic devotion to the Precious Blood. Those that mention the Blood include theAnima Christi, theChaplet of Mercy of the Holy Wounds of Jesus, and theChaplet of Divine Mercy.
TheEastern Orthodox teach that what is received in Holy Communion is the actualResurrected Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. In the West, theWords of Institution are considered to be the moment at which the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ. However, for the Eastern Orthodox, there is not one defined moment; rather, all that Orthodox theology states is by the end of theEpiklesis, the change has been completed. The Eastern Orthodox also do not use the Latin theological termTransubstantiation to define the conversion from bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, they use the wordmetousiosis without the precise theological elaboration that accompanies the term transubstantiation.
In the Eastern Orthodox churches, and thoseEastern Catholic Churches which follow theByzantine Rite, there is no individual devotion to the Blood of Christ separate from theBody of Christ, or separated from the reception ofHoly Communion.
When receiving Holy Communion, the clergy (deacons, priests and bishops) will receive the Body of Christ separately from the Blood of Christ. Then, the remaining portions of the consecratedLamb (Host) is divided up and placed in thechalice and both the Body and Blood of Christ are communicated to the faithful using aliturgical spoon (see alsoIntinction).
SomeChristian Fundamentalists teach that after Jesus' resurrection, he took his blood into heaven and sprinkled it into a literal heavenlymercy seat as a part of his priestly work.[7][8] According to this doctrine, Jesus carried His blood into heaven, this act being an essential component of His redemptive work for humanity. Proponents of this view often interpret John 20:17—where Jesus tells Mary Magdalene not to touch Him—as indicating that He had not yet completed the task of sprinkling His blood on the heavenly mercy seat.[9]
Some Christians such asRobert Thieme argued that the "blood of Christ" as mentioned in the bible is a mere metaphor for his death, saying the real blood of Christ has no significance in the atonement. Since this position was not held by other faculty members of Dallas theological seminary it caused a local controversy.John Walvoord said to him Christ had to shed his blood to fulfill scriptures such as1 Peter 1:18-19 andHebrews 9:22 while Robert G. Walter went somewhat further than Walvoord, arguing that Thieme was outside Christian orthodoxy.[10]
The blood shed by Christ was a common theme in early modern Italian art. Paintings of Christ depicted on the cross and as theMan of Sorrows have consistently been some of the bloodiest images in Christian art. The blood of Christ was a compelling artistic symbol of his incarnation and sacrifice. As a theme for contemplation, it provided worshippers with a means to articulate their devotion.[11]
{{cite book}}:|website= ignored (help)Footnote 82: "K. M. Monroe, EQ [Evangelical Quarterly] v (1933), p. 404 (in an article 'Time Element in the Atonement', pp. 397ff., which was answered by T. Houghton, 'The Atonement', EQ vi [1934], pp. 137ff.). Monroe argued that our Lord, after His resurrection, ascended immediately into heaven to sprinkle His blood on 'the heavenly capporeth [mercy seat]' and therefore could not allow Mary Magdalene to hinder Him (John 20:17) until He had completed this essential stage of His atoning work. The ascension of John 20:17 is thus quite distinct from the ascension of Acts 1:9." [Note: Bruce, The Epistle . . ., pp. 200-201. Chafer, 4:118; 5:262-63; and 7:20 also held this view. See Philip E. Hughes, "The Blood . . .," 519:195-212, for refutation and further discussion.]
| History |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | ||
| Investigations | ||
| Researchers | ||
| Related | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
