Eucharist

(ü'kah-rist.) [From Gr. eucharist ia, gratitude.] (Theol.) The sacrament of the Lord's Supper; so called because Christ's death is thereby commemorated with thankful recollection, and bread and wine are taken " in remembrance of him." The Roman Catholics maintain that the bread and wine cease to exist in the Eucharist, the body and blood of Christ taking their place. The Luther ans believe that Christ's body and blood are present along with the bread and wine. See TRANSUBSTANTIATION and CONSUBSTANTIATION. [s. 344]