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DENVER CATHOLIC | SEPTEMBER 14-27, 2019
THE
EUCHARIST
THROUGHOUT HISTORY
BY VLADIMIR MAURICIO-PEREZ
A recent Pew survey found that two-thirds of Catholics do not believe that Christ is truly
present in the Eucharist, but that it is a mere symbol. This serves as a wake-up call for
better formation, not assuming that people know the basics of the Catholic faith.
To showcase the importance of the Eucharist in the Christian faith through history,
we have created a timeline that highlights some of the key moments that prepared
the way for the Eucharist in the Old Testament, its institution in the New Testament,
and its practice and deeper understanding in subsequent centuries.
This timeline contains key words that repeat throughout the Scriptures, such as, lamb, bread, wine,
blood, sacrifi ce, o€ ering, etc. These key words all unite in the Eucharist and bear witness to the fact
that Jesus literally meant that the bread and wine would become his Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.