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.