The Mystery of the Eucharist: Part 7

How Does the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church’s Belief in the Holy Eucharist Differ from Others?

The Holy Eucharist is one of the greatest mysteries of our faith, through which we receive the true Body and Precious Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. However, different Christian denominations hold different beliefs and teachings about this sacred mystery. What does the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church teach, and how does its understanding differ from that of other Christian denominations, and why are the Holy Body and Precious Blood prepared separately?

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church believes that the Holy Eucharist involves a definitive change (አማናዊ/እውነተኛ ለውጥ). That is, “through a perfect divine mystery, the bread is changed and becomes the true Body of Christ, and the cup is changed and becomes the true Blood of Christ. —ፍጹም በሆነ አምላካዊ ምስጢር ኅብስቱ ተለውጦ አማናዊ የክርስቶስ ሥጋ ፣ ጽዋውም ተለውጦ አማናዊ የክርስቶስ ደም ይሆናል።.”

This is a divine mystery beyond the ability of the human mind to fully investigate or comprehend—ይህም የሰው አእምሮ ተመራምሮ የማይደርስበት አምላካዊ ምስጢር ነው።

After it is changed, it becomes the Body and Blood united with Divinity, with the soul separated from it—ከተለወጠም በኋላ ነፍስ የተለየው ፣ መለኮት የተዋሐደው ሥጋና ደም ይሆናል። By receiving the Holy Eucharist, we become one body with Christ—ከክርስቶስ ጋር አንድ አካል እንሆናለን።

The Catholic faith, on the other hand, teaches that through Transubstantiation (ተፈጥሮአዊ በሆነ ለውጥ), which, according to this teaching, means that the nature of the bread and wine is changed into the Body and Blood of Christ— “የኅብስቱና የወይኑ ተፈጥሮ ወደ ሥጋና ደም ይቀየራል።” According to Catholic teaching, this change cannot be observed in the outward appearance or detected through the inner properties of the elements. After the change, they believe that they receive the whole Christ—Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity— “ሥጋ፣ ደም፣ ነፍስና መለኮት ያለው ይሆናል ብለው ያምናሉ።

On the other hand, the Lutherans, one of the major Protestant denominations, teach what is known as “Sacramental Union” (“ምስጢራዊ ኅብረት”) concerning the Holy Eucharist. According to this belief, the Body and Blood of Christ are present together with the bread and wine, in union with them— “የክርስቶስ ሥጋና ደም ከኅብስቱና ከወይኑ ጋር አብሮ በኅብረት ይገኛል።” They also believe that communicants receive both the Body and Blood of Christ and the bread and wine together—“ሥጋውና ደሙን እንዲሁም ኅብስቱንና ወይኑን አብረው ይቀበላሉ ብለው ያምናሉ።”

Similarly, the Tehadiso sects teach what is known as “Spiritual Presence (በመንፈስ መገኘት).” According to this teaching, Christ is not physically present in the Eucharist but is present spiritually. Therefore, they believe that the nature or substance of the bread and wine remains unchanged; rather, the spirit accompanying the Eucharist unites those who receive it with Christ.

Another view promoted by various Protestant groups is “Memorialism (መታሰቢያነት).” According to this teaching, the bread and wine are merely memorial symbols of the Body and Blood of Christ. Those who receive them do so in remembrance of Christ, while Christ is understood to be present not in the bread and wine but in the conscience of the believer. Thus, the Eucharist is regarded simply as a symbolic representation and memorial.

Finally, some hold that the Eucharist is the Word of God rather than what is physically eaten and drunk. This is what they call the “Real Absence” belief.

We, however, as the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, believe in the true (አማናዊ) Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ—the soul separated and the Divinity united (ነፍስ የተለየው፣ መለኮት የተዋሐደው)—according to the sacramental order that Christ our Lord taught and established for us. Our Lord declares: “ሥጋዬ እውነተኛ መብል ደሜም እውነተኛ መጠጥ ነውና።” (John 6:55).

Why Are the Holy Body and Precious Blood Prepared Separately?

The Holy Body and the Precious Blood are prepared separately, following our Lord’s teaching and the sacramental order He established in the mystery of the Eucharist. When He said, “ሥጋዬን የሚበላ,” He referred to eating His Holy Body, and when He said, “ደሜን የሚጠጣ,” He referred to drinking His Precious Blood. He further declared, “ሥጋዬ እውነተኛ መብል ነውና፥ ደሜም እውነተኛ መጠጥ ነውና።” (John 6:55), clearly distinguishing His Body as food and His Blood as drink.

This order is also reflected in the Thursday prayer (ጸሎተ ሐሙስ), when our Lord instituted the Eucharist: He first took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to His disciples; then He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them—በመጀመሪያ ኅብስቱን አንስቶ ባረከና ቆርሶ ሰጣቸው፤ ከዚያም ጽዋውን አንስቶ አመስግኖ ሰጣቸው፡፡ (Matthew 26:26–28)

Therefore, the Holy Body and the Precious Blood are prepared separately, and during the reception of the Holy Eucharist, we first receive the Holy Body, followed by the Precious Blood.

Conclusion

Different Christian denominations understand the mystery of the Eucharist in different ways. For the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, however, the Holy Eucharist is not merely a symbol, a memorial, or a spiritual experience; it is the true Body and Precious Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. The preparation and reception of the Holy Body and Precious Blood separately follow the sacramental order established by our Lord Himself.

Yet, what does it mean when our Lord says, “Do this in remembrance of Me”? God willing, we will explore the meaning of these words in the upcoming part.

The Mystery of the Eucharist: Part 6

 

Receiving the Holy Body and Precious Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ is a sacred encounter that calls us to holiness. But what precautions should we take after receiving the Holy Eucharist? The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church teaches us to approach this Mystery with reverence and to observe the proper spiritual precautions after receiving Holy Communion.

What Precautions Should We Take After Receiving Holy Communion?

As St. Paul teaches, “ሥጋችሁ የክርስቶስ ብልቶች እንደ ሆነ አታውቁምን? እንግዲህ የክርስቶስን ብልቶች ወስጄ የጋለሞታ ብልቶች ላድርጋቸውን? አይገባም።” (1 Cor. 6:15), our bodies, honored by the Holy Body and Precious Blood of Christ, should strive to avoid sin.

Especially on the days we receive the Holy Eucharist and are united with Christ, we should guard ourselves against sin with even greater care.

This may be compared to a bride (ሙሽሪት) awaiting her husband. Although she always strives to preserve her purity, she takes special care on the day she awaits her husband for their union, which is a profound mystery.

Likewise, having become the Bride of Christ (የክርስቶስ ሙሽራ), we repent and receive His Holy Body and Precious Blood. Therefore, the Holy Church, the Body of Christ, has prescribed the proper precautions we should observe after receiving His Holy Body and Precious Blood.

One should avoid going to court (ፍርድ ቤት) or engaging in disputes (ሙግት) on the same day after receiving the Holy Eucharist, since courts commonly involve disputes, quarrels (ጠብ), and arguments (ክርክር).

Similarly, because the day should be devoted primarily to spiritual reflection rather than physical pleasure, married couples should abstain from sexual relations and avoid excessive eating and drinking on the same day—በዚሁ ዕለት ለባለትዳሮች ሩካቤ፣ አብዝቶ መብላትና መጠጣት አይገባም።

Moreover, one should refrain from cutting one’s nails, shaving, bathing, or removing one’s clothes on the day of receiving Holy Communion—ጥፍር መቁረጥ፣ ጢም መላጨት፣ጸጉር መላጨት፣ በውኃ መታጠብና ከልብስ መራቆት ክልክል ነው።

For example, Egyptian Christians avoid walking barefoot on the day they receive Holy Communion, taking care not to slip and injure their feet. After receiving the Holy Eucharist, they read prayer books and spend the remainder of the day peacefully, avoiding unnecessary social encounters and devoting themselves to prayer and the reading of the Holy Scriptures.

After receiving Holy Communion, if we encounter any difficulty (እክል), especially due to a lack of proper care—for example, a nosebleed, encountering an obstacle (እንቅፋት), vomiting, or a fly or other insect entering the mouth—we should confess everything that has happened to us by explaining it fully to our spiritual father. We should not receive Holy Communion again until we have fulfilled the penance (ቀኖና) assigned to us.

The reason for this confession is to affirm that there is no weakness (ድካም፣ እንክን) in the Mystery of the Holy Body and Precious Blood of Christ. The Holy Eucharist grants us eternal life and leads us toward the Kingdom of Heaven, where there is no weakness or weariness (ይህም ምስጢሩ ፥ ሥጋ ወደሙ መንግሥተ ሰማያትን ያሰጣልና ፡ በሥጋ ወደሙ ድካም የለበትም፤ አንድም መንግሥተ ሰማይ ከገቡ በኋላ ድካም የለምና ነው)።

During this period, we should also refrain from undertaking long journeys (ሩቅ መንገድ መሔድ) or prostrating ourselves (መስገድ).

Conclusion:
Receiving Holy Communion calls us to live in holiness. Let us guard our thoughts, words, and actions, devote ourselves to prayer, and live in a manner worthy of the Holy Body and Precious Blood we have received. May our lives bear witness to our union with Christ and lead us toward eternal life in His heavenly Kingdom.