The bread becomes the body of Christ, the wine becomes the blood of Christ. They do not represent, they become. It is called transubstantiation.
In the Anglican Communion, the bread and wine are only symbolically converted into the body and blood of Christ, physically retaining their original natures.
In Catholicism, the bread and wine are really converted into the body and blood of Christ by the divine power of the Eucharist, although physically retaining all their original properties.
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Catholic AnswerWe do not know the how beyond it is purely the power of God, but then since He created the entire world, and everything in it out of nothing, that really should not leave us baffled. The only explanation that men have been able to come up with is called transubstantiation, which can be understood probably easier from analogy. In philosophy, everything is made up of accidents and substance. The substance is what makes a particular piece of matter this and not that. For instance, the substance of water is H2O, the matter could be either hard and cold, wet, or hot and vaporous: ice, water, or steam. In this case the the substance remains the same: H2O, but the accidents change: the temperature, the feel, etc. Another case would be wood, which, depending on its accidents could be a tree, a pile of ash, or a table. In each case, the substance stays the same, but the accidents change. Now, it is the other way around in the case of the Eucharist. When Our Blessed Lord, Jesus Christ, pronounced the words, "This is My Body" over what was ordinary bread, the accidents remained the same, but the entire substance was replaced with the substance of Jesus Christ, Body and Soul, Humanity and Divinity. God performs this miracle every time one of His priests, at His Command, pronounce those same words in the Holy Mass. So the "how" remains a mystery to us human beings with our limited senses and intelligence, but since we believe in God, we believe what He told us - read the entire sixth chapter of St. John's Gospel, particularly the second half, where Our Blessed Lord not only assures us of this change, but tells us that we must believe in it, and participate in it worthily or we will have no life in us. See the link below for the Bread of Life discourse in St. John's Gospel.During the concecration of the Eucharist during the mass, the bread and wine becomes the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
Indeed it is. But, they do not believe that through eating it, it becomes Christ's flesh and blood, it is once a priest has consecrated it.
The Catholic teaching that the bread and wine literallybecome the body and blood of Jesus is called "transubstantiation."
Depends what religion, but it doesn't "become it" it represents it
The consecration
A change into another substance., The doctrine held by Roman Catholics, that the bread and wine in the Mass is converted into the body and blood of Christ; -- distinguished from consubstantiation, and impanation.
During the concecration of the Eucharist during the mass, the bread and wine becomes the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
In the christian faith it is the symbol of Jesus Christ. Jesus says "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." He also uses it as a symbol of his body during the last supper.
"your name", Body of Christ given for you, Blood of Christ shed for you.
The bread that has been blessed, represents Christ's body. The wine, that has also been blessed, represents his blood.
For the last supper , the cup of wine stands for the blood of Christ shed on the cross.
Catholics believe in transubstantiation, that the bread and wine in the Eucharist is not symbolic but Christ's REAL PRESENCE-the body and blood of Christ.
The altar is where the priest changes the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ.
Liturgy of the Eucharist
the fish represents the christ in communion ie crossubstantiation, the changing of the wine into blood of christ, and bread into the body of christ.
When the priest says 'the Body of Christ' or 'the Blood of Christ' the person should respond with 'Amen' signifying that he or she believes that the bread and wine are truly the Body and Blood of Christ. If you cannot honestly respond 'Amen' then you have no business receiving communion.
No, not exactly: Catholic belief is that at the consecration of the bread and wine at Mass, these elements become the true essence of the Body and Blood of Christ. While the physical form is unchanged, it is believed there is an essential transformation. Catholics do not believe that the bread and wine are representative, they believe they are the Body and Blood of Christ (in essence).