Early Church Fathers on the Eucharist. Early Church Fathers on the EucharistMore
Early Church Fathers on the Eucharist.
Early Church Fathers on the Eucharist
Early Church Fathers on the Eucharist
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St. Ignatius of Antioch, a disciple and contemporary of the Apostle St. John, wrote (around 110 A.D.) concerning certain heretics: "They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they do not confess that the EUCHARIST IS THE FLESH OF OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, Flesh which suffered for our sins and which the Father, in His goodness, raised up again."
In another letter ST. IGNATIUS writes, …More
St. Ignatius of Antioch, a disciple and contemporary of the Apostle St. John, wrote (around 110 A.D.) concerning certain heretics: "They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they do not confess that the EUCHARIST IS THE FLESH OF OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, Flesh which suffered for our sins and which the Father, in His goodness, raised up again."
In another letter ST. IGNATIUS writes, "I desire the Bread of God, which is the FLESH of JESUS CHRIST...and for drink I desire HIS BLOOD, which is love incorruptible."
ST. JUSTIN MARTYR wrote in his apology to the emperor at Rome (around 150 A.D.): "We call this food Eucharistic; and no one else is permitted to partake of it, except one who believes our teaching to be true...For not as common drink do we receive these; but since Jesus Christ our Savior was made incarnate by the word of God and had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so too, as we have been taught, the food which has been made into the Eucharist by the Eucharistic prayer set down by Him, and by the change of which our blood and flesh is nourished, is both the FLESH and the BLOOD of that incarnated Jesus."
ST. IRENAEUS, bishop of Lyons and a pupil of ST. POLYCARP who had been taught by ST. JOHN the APOSTLE, wrote (around 195 A.D.): "He [Jesus] has declared the cup, a part of creation, to be HIS OWN BLOOD, from which He causes our blood to flow; and the bread, a part of creation, He has established as His OWN BODY, from which He gives increase to our bodies."
ST. CYRIL of JERUSALEM, in a catechetical lecture given in the middle of the fourth century (350 A.D.), said: "Do not, therefore, regard the bread and wine as simply that; FOR THEY ARE, according to the Master's declaration, The Body and Blood of Christ. Even though the senses suggest to you the other; let faith make you firm. Do not judge in this matter by taste, but be fully assured by the faith, not doubting that you have been deemed worthy of the Body and Blood of Christ."
In another letter ST. IGNATIUS writes, "I desire the Bread of God, which is the FLESH of JESUS CHRIST...and for drink I desire HIS BLOOD, which is love incorruptible."
ST. JUSTIN MARTYR wrote in his apology to the emperor at Rome (around 150 A.D.): "We call this food Eucharistic; and no one else is permitted to partake of it, except one who believes our teaching to be true...For not as common drink do we receive these; but since Jesus Christ our Savior was made incarnate by the word of God and had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so too, as we have been taught, the food which has been made into the Eucharist by the Eucharistic prayer set down by Him, and by the change of which our blood and flesh is nourished, is both the FLESH and the BLOOD of that incarnated Jesus."
ST. IRENAEUS, bishop of Lyons and a pupil of ST. POLYCARP who had been taught by ST. JOHN the APOSTLE, wrote (around 195 A.D.): "He [Jesus] has declared the cup, a part of creation, to be HIS OWN BLOOD, from which He causes our blood to flow; and the bread, a part of creation, He has established as His OWN BODY, from which He gives increase to our bodies."
ST. CYRIL of JERUSALEM, in a catechetical lecture given in the middle of the fourth century (350 A.D.), said: "Do not, therefore, regard the bread and wine as simply that; FOR THEY ARE, according to the Master's declaration, The Body and Blood of Christ. Even though the senses suggest to you the other; let faith make you firm. Do not judge in this matter by taste, but be fully assured by the faith, not doubting that you have been deemed worthy of the Body and Blood of Christ."