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The Daily Insight

What words will the priest say just before you receive Communion?

Author

David Craig

Updated on April 03, 2026

When you approach the priest or Extraordinary Minister, he/she will proclaim “the Body of Christ,”. You proclaim your faith, both in word and in a gesture: as you say “Amen.” (meaning I believe it!) you also bow as a way of showing your respect and faith.

Which comes first liturgy of the word or liturgy of the Eucharist?

liturgy of the Word, the first of the two principal rites of the mass, the central act of worship of the Roman Catholic Church, the second being the liturgy of the Eucharist (see also Eucharist).

Does Holy Communion take place before the consecration?

The Eucharist is celebrated daily during the celebration of Mass, the eucharistic liturgy (except on Good Friday, when consecration takes place on Holy Thursday, but is distributed during the Solemn Afternoon Liturgy of the Passion and Death of the Lord, and Holy Saturday, when Mass may not be celebrated and the …

What do you say before you take Communion?

Here is the reason why ministers of Communion are instructed to say, “The Body of Christ,” and not “This is Jesus,” or “Receive the Body of Christ.” This brief and humble acclamation invites all the faithful to recognize the Body of Christ in the consecrated bread and in the People of God receiving Communion!

What is said during Holy Communion?

“Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord’s Supper, in Christianity, ritual commemoration of Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples, at which (according to tradition) he gave them bread with the words, ‘This is my body,’ and wine with the words, ‘This is my blood.

Is the Epiclesis necessary?

The Epiclesis is considered to be essential to the validity of the Sacred Mystery (sacrament), and in the 20th century, when Western Rite Orthodox parishes began to be established, it was necessary to add an Epiclesis to their Eucharistic rites, if one was not already there (for instance, those parishes which desired …

What happens at the Epiclesis?

epiclesis, (Greek: “invocation”), in the Christian eucharistic prayer (anaphora), the special invocation of the Holy Spirit; in most Eastern Christian liturgies it follows the words of institution—the words used, according to the New Testament, by Jesus himself at the Last Supper—“This is my body . . .

What is said during the Eucharistic Prayer?

The Eucharistic Prayer, which begins when the priest extends his arms and says, “The Lord be with you… lift up your hearts… let us give thanks to the Lord our God…” is the heart of the Mass. As we begin it, we acclaim with the priest that it is most fitting to give our thanks and praise to God.

Is a double epiclesis necessary for the Roman Rite?

This consecration theology has bedeviled the composition of new eucharistic prayers for the Roman rite to be used alongside the revised Roman canon. It has been held that the ingenium Romanum calls for a double epiclesis, one on the gifts before the words of institution and one on the people after the Verba, petitioning the fruits of communion.

What is the epiclesis in the Eucharist?

The epiclesis (also spelled epiklesis; from Ancient Greek: ἐπίκλησις “invocation” or “calling down from on high”) is the part of the Anaphora (Eucharistic Prayer) by which the priest invokes the Holy Spirit (or the power of His blessing) upon the Eucharistic bread and wine in some Christian churches.

Where does the Epiclesis come after the anamnesis?

In most Eastern Christian traditions, the Epiclesis comes after the Anamnesis (remembrance of Jesus’ words and deeds); in the Western Rite it usually precedes.

Is the invocation of the Divine Name an epiclesis?

It has been suggested that the invocation of the divine name constitutes an epiclesis (10:22). Odo Casel popularized the view that the whole eucharistic prayer is consecratory, and that the formal epiclesis within the prayer plays a complementary role by indicating the purpose of the invocation.