Grace Thompson
The use of wine during Catholic communion has been a topic of discussion and debate among Catholics. While some Catholic churches have stopped serving wine during communion, others continue to offer it as an option. The use of wine in communion is rooted in the belief that Jesus served wine to his disciples during the Last Supper, symbolizing fellowship and God's creation of good things. The choice of wine also holds symbolic significance, representing the blood of Christ. In Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches, the clergy receives the consecrated wine directly from the chalice, while the Byzantine Rite involves placing the consecrated body of Christ in the chalice and administering communion with a spoon. The validity of wine for the Eucharist is based on specific criteria, such as being made from wheat and grape wine, with some churches using white wine or non-alcoholic grape juice.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is wine optional during Catholic Mass? | In the Catholic Church, the wine is optional during Mass. Either the bread or the wine contains the "fullness of the Eucharist". |
| Which wine is used during Catholic Mass? | The wine must be natural, from the fruit of the grape, pure and incorrupt. It should be made from wheat and recently made. It must be grape wine and alcoholic, but it can be minimally fermented. |
| Who drinks the wine during Catholic Mass? | In some cases, only the priest drinks the wine. In other cases, the wine is distributed to the congregation. |
| Why is wine used during Catholic Mass? | The wine symbolises the blood of Christ. |
| Can non-alcoholic wine be used during Catholic Mass? | Yes, non-alcoholic wine is used in some churches. |
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What You'll Learn
Wine is not mandatory at Mass
In the Byzantine Rite of the Eastern Orthodox Church and some Eastern Catholic Churches and Eastern Lutheran Churches, the normal method is to use a spoon to give the communicant some of the consecrated wine together with a portion of the consecrated bread that has been placed in the chalice. In the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, Communion is administered under the form of wine either by the communicant drinking directly from the chalice or by intinction, where the priest partially dips the consecrated bread into the consecrated wine and then places it in the mouth of the communicant. In the latter case, either kind—bread or wine—contains the fullness of the Eucharist, and it is often more practical to distribute only one kind.
In the early Church, Communion under both kinds (both bread and wine) prevailed, but some received under only one species. For example, the Eucharist in the species of wine alone was given to children before they attained the age of reason. Communion of the sick was also easier to transport and administer under the species of bread alone. In the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Eastern Catholic churches, the clergy continued to receive the consecrated wine by drinking directly from the chalice, but to avoid the danger of accidentally spilling some of the Blood of Christ, the practice was developed of placing the consecrated Body of Christ in the chalice.
In the Protestant churches, the use of wine (or grape juice in some denominations) is obligatory in the celebration of Holy Communion. However, for most Protestants, a person receiving communion makes a valid communion even if they receive only in one kind (i.e., either just the bread or just the wine). For example, a sick person who can only take liquids makes a valid communion by receiving the wine.
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Communion can be received under one kind
In the Catholic Church, communion can be received under one kind, either the consecrated bread or wine alone. In the Eastern Orthodox Church and some Eastern Catholic Churches, the communicant receives a portion of the consecrated bread that has been placed in the chalice, along with some of the consecrated wine, using a sacramental spoon. This practice is also observed in Eastern Lutheran Churches and is known as "intinction".
In the Early Church, both the clergy and laity received the consecrated wine by drinking from the chalice, after receiving a piece of the consecrated bread. However, over time, the practice of drinking from the chalice became largely restricted to the celebrating priest, especially in Western churches, while the laity received communion only in the form of bread. This change was influenced by factors such as the difficulty of obtaining wine in Northern European countries due to the climate being unsuitable for viticulture.
The Catholic Church holds that by the words of consecration, Christ's Body is under the appearance of bread, and His Blood is under the appearance of wine. This belief is known as concomitance, which asserts that the Body and Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ form one indivisible Person and must be found together. Nevertheless, the Church recognises that there are legitimate reasons for receiving Communion under one kind.
For example, in the Eastern Catholic Churches and the Eastern Orthodox Church, children who have not yet attained the age of reason are given only the Eucharist in the species of wine. Similarly, the Communion of the sick is more easily transported and administered under the species of bread alone. Additionally, the diocesan Bishop may establish norms for Communion under both kinds for his diocese, allowing the parish priest to decide on the mode of administration while ensuring the sacrament is not profaned and the rite remains practical.
While the use of wine in Communion is significant, it is not mandatory for the Mass to be considered valid. The validity of the sacrament does not depend on the use of both bread and wine but on the consecration performed by the priest.
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Wine must be natural, pure grape wine
The Catholic Church generally adheres to the rule that sacramental wine must be pure grape wine. This rule also applies to the majority of liturgical churches, including the Eastern Orthodox Church and Lutheran Churches. The wine must be natural, from the fruit of the vine, and not spoiled. This means that it must be made from grapes, and wines based on other plants, such as strawberry wine or rice wine, are not allowed. The wine must also be alcoholic, although there are circumstances where it may be necessary to use a wine that is only minimally fermented, such as mustum, which is grape juice that has been preserved by methods that suspend its fermentation.
The wine cannot have anything artificial added to it, including preservatives and flavourings. However, sulphites are allowed, and the wine can be fortified with grape-based spirits to a maximum alcohol content of 18%. This helps to prevent the wine from spoiling and turning into vinegar. The vessel from which the wine is drunk must be made from a precious metal.
In the Byzantine Rite of the Eastern Orthodox Church and some Eastern Catholic Churches, the normal method is to use a spoon to give the communicant some of the consecrated wine together with a portion of the consecrated bread that has been placed in the chalice. In the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, Communion is administered under the form of wine either by the communicant drinking directly from the chalice or by intinction, where the priest partially dips the consecrated bread into the wine and then places it in the communicant's mouth. In some cases, a silver tube or a straw may be used to drink from the chalice.
The use of wine in the Catholic Church is not always mandatory, and there are circumstances where only the bread is consumed. For example, during early times, Communion was often received under only one kind, and this practice can be seen as early as the 3rd century in the writings of Tertullian, St. Cyprian, and Eusebius. In the Early Church, the Holy Eucharist in the form of wine alone was given to children before they attained the age of reason, and this remains true today in the eastern churches. In some cases, only the priest may drink the wine during Mass, while the congregation receives only the bread.
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Alcohol-free communion wine
The Catholic Church traditionally adheres to the rule that sacramental wine must be pure grape wine, and alcoholic. However, there are some circumstances in which a wine with minimal fermentation, called "mustum", can be used. Mustum is grape juice that is either fresh or preserved by methods that suspend fermentation without altering its nature, such as freezing. As fresh grape juice contains no alcohol, the use of mustum indicates that the alcohol content of sacramental wine can be as low as zero per cent.
The use of alcohol-free wine in Holy Communion is a contentious issue among different Christian denominations. The Church of England, for example, has ruled that alcohol-free wine cannot be used in Holy Communion, as it would violate ecclesiastical law and the process of fermentation would be "nullified".
Other Christian denominations, such as Methodist Churches, disapprove of the consumption of alcohol and substitute grape juice for wine during communion. Methodist denominations use non-alcoholic grape juice in the sacrament, and Methodists have historically supported teetotalism. The 1916 rubric in the Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church states: "Let the pure, unfermented juice of the grape be used in administering the Lord's Supper."
In the Byzantine Rite of the Eastern Orthodox Church and some Eastern Catholic Churches, the normal method is to use a spoon to give the communicant some of the consecrated wine together with a portion of the consecrated bread that has been placed in the chalice. This practice is also observed in some Eastern Lutheran Churches.
There are also wineries that produce sacramental wines specifically for use in religious rituals, including alcohol-free communion wine.
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Wine is served via intinction
The Catholic Church generally adheres to the rule that wine for sacramental use must be pure grape wine and alcoholic. However, in certain circumstances, it may be necessary to use a wine that is only minimally fermented, called mustum. In the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, Communion is administered under the form of wine either by drinking directly from the chalice or through intinction.
Intinction is a practice where the priest partially dips the consecrated bread into the consecrated wine and then places it in the mouth of the communicant. In Eastern Rite Catholic Churches, this practice is common, and leavened bread is used. The use of leavened bread in the Eucharist is also seen in many Eastern Catholic Churches.
The use of wine in the Catholic Church is not mandatory, and either the bread or the wine can be consumed during Communion. However, the Church holds that Christ's Body is under the appearance of bread, and His Blood is under the appearance of wine. This belief, known as concomitance, emphasizes the indivisibility of Christ's Body and Blood, Soul, and Divinity.
The wine used for the Eucharist must be natural, from the fruit of the grape, pure, and uncorrupted. It cannot contain any artificial additives or preservatives commonly found in table wine. The vessel from which the wine is consumed must be made from a precious metal. While red wine is traditionally favoured, white wine is also acceptable as long as it is made from grapes.
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Frequently asked questions
No, wine is not mandatory during Catholic Communion. In the Latin Catholic Church, it is common for only the priest to drink wine, while others receive Communion only in the form of bread. In Eastern Catholic Churches, however, it is typical for both wine and bread to be taken.
The wine must be natural grape wine, made from the fruit of the vine. It does not have to be red wine, as white wine is also valid, as long as it is made from grapes.
Wine is used during Catholic Communion because it was served by Jesus during the original Lord's Supper, which took place at the Last Supper. Wine is also used as it is something good given to us by God, and it symbolises fellowship, which is part of what the Lord's Supper represents.
No, the use of wine during Communion is not universal across Christian denominations. Methodist Churches, for example, substitute grape juice for wine due to their disapproval of alcohol consumption.
