Blessed SACRAMENT

The Blessed Sacrament, or the Body and Blood of Christ, is a devotional name used in the Roman Catholic Church, Old Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran Churches, to refer to the Host and wine after they have been consecrated in the sacrament of the Eucharist.

Christians in these traditions believe in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharistic elements of the bread and wine and hence practice Eucharistic reservation and Eucharistic adoration.

This belief is based on interpretations of biblical scripture and tradition. In the Roman Catholic tradition, Christ's presence is believed to be corporeal, while in the Old Catholic and Anglican traditions, his presence is more usually seen as spiritual.

The Roman Catholic understanding is defined by numerous church councils including the Fourth Lateran Council and the Council of Trent and is quoted in paragraph 1376 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (which explains the meaning of Transubstantiation).