Eucharist

===Early Christian sources===
The ''[[Didache]]'' (Greek: {{lang|grc|Διδαχή}}, "teaching") is an [[Early Church]] treatise that includes instructions for [[baptism]] and the Eucharist. Most scholars date it to the late 1st century,<ref>[[Bruce Metzger]], ''The canon of the New Testament''. 1997</ref> and distinguish in it two separate Eucharistic traditions, the earlier tradition in chapter 10 and the later one preceding it in chapter 9.<ref>"There are now two quite separate Eucharistic celebrations given in Didache 9–10, with the earlier one now put in second place". Crossan. ''The historical Jesus''. Citing Riggs, John W. 1984</ref>{{efn|"9.1 Concerning the thanksgiving give thanks thus: 9.2 First, concerning the cup: "We give thanks to you, our Father, For the holy vine of David your servant which you have revealed to us through Jesus your servant. To you be glory for ever". 9.3 And concerning the fragment: "We give thanks to you, our Father, For the life and knowledge, which you have revealed to us through Jesus your servant". But let no one eat or drink of your Eucharist, unless they have been baptized into the name of the Lord; for concerning this also the Lord has said, "Give not that which is holy to the dogs". 10.1 After you have had your fill, give thanks thus: 10.2 We give thanks to you holy Father for your holy Name which you have made to dwell in our hearts and for the knowledge, faith and immortality which you have revealed to us through Jesus your servant. To you be glory for ever. 10.3 You Lord almighty have created everything for the sake of your Name; you have given human beings food and drink to partake with enjoyment so that they might give thanks; but to us you have given the grace of spiritual food and drink and of eternal life through Jesus your servant. 10.4 Above all we give you thanks because you are mighty.
To you be glory for ever. 10.5 Remember Lord your Church, to preserve it from all evil and to make it perfect in your love. And, sanctified, gather it from the four winds into your kingdom which you have prepared for it. Because yours is the power and the glory for ever. ..."}} The Eucharist is mentioned again in chapter 14.{{efn|"14.1 But every Lord's day do ye gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. 14.2. But let no one that is at variance with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned. 14.3. For this is that which was spoken by the Lord: In every place and time offer to me a pure sacrifice; for I am a great King, saith the Lord, and my name is wonderful among the nations."}}

[[Ignatius of Antioch]] (born {{circa|35 or 50}}, died between 98 and 117), one of the Apostolic Fathers,{{efn|The tradition that Ignatius was a direct disciple of the [[Apostle John]] is consistent with the content of his letters.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www./|title=Introduction to the Roberts-Donaldson translation of his writings |access-date=2007-10-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071229052738/http://www./|archive-date=29 December 2007}}</ref>}} mentions the Eucharist as "the flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ":

{{blockquote|They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they confess not the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ, which suffered for our sins, and which the Father, of His goodness, raised up again. [...] Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it.|Smyrnaeans, 7–8<ref>[https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0109.htm Letter to the Smyrnaeans, 7-8]</ref>}}

{{blockquote|Take heed, then, to have but one Eucharist. For there is one flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one cup to [show forth ] the unity of His blood; one altar; as there is one bishop, along with the presbytery and deacons, my fellow-servants: that so, whatsoever you do, you may do it according to [the will of] God.|Philadephians, 4<ref>[https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0108.htm Letter to the Philadelphians, 4]</ref>}}

[[Justin Martyr]] (born {{c.|100}}, died {{c.|165}}) mentions in this regard:

{{blockquote|And this food is called among us {{lang|grc|Εὐχαριστία}} [the Eucharist], of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh.<ref>{{cite book |last1=St. Justin Martyr |title=CHURCH FATHERS: The First Apology Chapter 66 |url=https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0126.htm |access-date=5 December 2021}}</ref><ref>See [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.viii.ii.lxv.html First Apology], 65–67</ref>}}

[[Paschasius Radbertus]] (785–865) was a Carolingian theologian, and the abbot of [[Corbie Abbey|Corbie]], whose best-known and influential work is an exposition on the nature of the Eucharist written around 831, entitled {{lang|la|De Corpore et Sanguine Domini}}. In it, Paschasius agrees with [[Ambrose|St Ambrose]] in affirming that the Eucharist contains the true, historical body of Jesus Christ. According to Paschasius, God is truth itself, and therefore, his words and actions must be true. Christ's proclamation at the [[Last Supper]] that the bread and wine were his body and blood must be taken literally, since God is truth.<ref name="Chazelle">Chazelle</ref>{{rp|9}} He thus believes that the [[transubstantiation]] of the bread and wine offered in the Eucharist really occurs. Only if the Eucharist is the actual body and blood of Christ can a Christian know it is salvific.<ref name="Chazelle"/>{{rp|10}}{{efn|Radbertus was canonized in 1073 by [[Pope Gregory VII]]. His works are edited in {{lang|la|[[Patrologia Latina]]}}, volume 120 (1852).}}