Skip to main contentAccessibility feedback
Dear catholic.com visitors: This website from Catholic Answers, with all its many resources, is the world’s largest source of explanations for Catholic beliefs and practices. A fully independent, lay-run, 501(c)(3) ministry that receives no funding from the institutional Church, we rely entirely on the generosity of everyday people like you to keep this website going with trustworthy, fresh, and relevant content. If everyone visiting this month gave just $1, catholic.com would be fully funded for an entire year. If you’ve never made a gift, now is the time. Your donation will be matched dollar for dollar this week only. Thanks and God bless.
Dear catholic.com visitors: This Catholic Answers website, with all its free resources, is the world’s largest source of explanations for Catholic beliefs and practices. We receive no funding from the institutional Church and rely entirely on your generosity to sustain this website with trustworthy, accessible content. If every visitor this month donated $1, catholic.com would be fully funded for an entire year. If you’ve never made a gift, now is the time. Your donation will be matched dollar for dollar this week only. Thanks and God bless.
✕
Q&A

Why Does the Church Call the Body of Christ “Bread” in the Proclamation of Faith?

Jim Blackburn

Question:

Why does the Church call the body of Christ "bread" in the proclamation of faith, "When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus, until you come in glory?"

Answer:

When we call the body of Christ “bread” we echo Jesus’ own words, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven” (John 6:51).

This expression is but one of many which call forth the various.aspects of the Eucharist. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains:

The inexhaustible richness of this sacrament [of the Eucharist] is expressed in the different names we give it. Each name evokes certain aspects of it. It is called . . . the Breaking of Bread, because Jesus used this rite, part of a Jewish meal, when as master of the table he blessed and distributed the bread, above all at the Last Supper. It is by this action that his disciples will recognize him after his Resurrection, and it is this expression that the first Christians will use to designate their Eucharistic assemblies; by doing so they signified that all who eat the one broken bread, Christ, enter into communion with him and form but one body in him. (CCC 1328-1329)

Did you like this content? Please help keep us ad-free

More from Catholic.com

 

 

 

 

 
‹›
Enjoying this content?  Please support our mission!Donate