Epiclesis

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In most Christian churches, the epiclesis (also sometimes spelled epiklesis, since it is a transliterated Greek word) is that part of the prayer of consecration of the Eucharistic elements (bread and wine) by which the priest invokes the Holy Spirit.^[1] Some Eastern Orthodox theologians hold that the epiclesis is essential to the Eucharist, since the entire mystery is based on the action of the Holy Spirit.

A similar invocation of the Holy Spirit by a priest in some other high church sacraments, such as matrimony, is also called an epiclesis. The Eastern Orthodox Church holds that such an epiclesis is necessary for the validity of the sacrament of marriage; the Roman Catholic Church holds that it is not, since for them the bride and groom are the ministers of that sacrament.

Contents 1 Catholicism and Orthodoxy 2 Protestantism 2.1 Anglicanism and Lutheranism 2.2 Methodism 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Catholicism and Orthodoxy

In its pure form, the ancient anaphora of the Divine Liturgy of Addai and Mari does include an epiclesis. It does not use the Words of Institution, although they appear directly and indirectly in other parts of the rite (implicit).

In the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom an epiclesis is present (explicit); the priest says...

"We offer to Thee this reasonable and unbloody sacrifice;

and we beg Thee, we ask Thee, we pray Thee that Thou,

sending forth Thy Holy Spirit on us and on these present gifts"

(the Deacon says: "Bless, Lord, the holy bread")

"make this bread the Precious Body of Thy Christ"

(Deacon: "Amen. Bless, Lord, the holy chalice"):

"and that which is in this chalice, the Precious Blood of Thy Christ"

(Deacon: "Amen. Bless, Lord, both"),

"changing by Thy Holy Spirit"

(Deacon: "Amen, Amen, Amen.")

It is sometimes said that, in the Roman Rite of Mass, the prayer Quam oblationem of the Roman Canon represents an implicit epiclesis:

Bless and approve our offering;

make it acceptable to you,

an offering in spirit and in truth.

Let it become for us

the body and blood of Jesus Christ,

your only Son, our Lord.

However, at least one Eastern Orthodox liturgical commentator, Nicholas Cabasilas, was of the opinion that the prayer Supplices te rogamus, placed, like the explicit epikleses in the Eastern Rites, after the anamnesis and oblation, is functionally equivalent:

Almighty God, we pray

that your angel may take this sacrifice

to your altar in heaven,

then, as we receive from this altar

the sacred body and blood of your Son,

let us be filled with every grace and blessing.

It is notable that the Roman Canon mentions the Holy Spirit explicitly only once, in the final doxology: "Through Him [Christ], with Him, in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honour is Yours, Almighty Father, forever and ever."

The Roman Rite, as celebrated from about the thirteenth century to 1969, also contained an offertory prayer that invoked God as Sanctifier, and thus perhaps implicitly the Holy Spirit, as follows:

"Come, Thou Sanctifier, almighty and eternal God,

and bless + this sacrifice prepared for the glory of Thy holy Name."

Some Orthodox commentators, however, object to the Roman Canon on the grounds that its epiklesis is too weak. When groups of Traditionalist Catholics have joined a canonical Orthodox jurisdiction with permission to celebrate the Tridentine Liturgy, they have been required to interpolate the epiklesis from the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom into the Tridentine Mass in order to correct this perceived defect (see Western Rite Orthodoxy).

No such difficulties arise with the additional Eucharistic Prayers introduced into the Roman Rite in its post-1969 form. Each of them has a pre-consecration and a post-consecration epiclesis.

Pre-consecration epiclesis:

II: Let your Spirit come upon these gifts to make them holy,

so that they may become for us

the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

III: And so, Father, we bring you these gifts.

We ask you to make them holy by the power of your Spirit,

that they may become the body and blood

of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,

at whose command we celebrate this eucharist.

IV: Father, may this Holy Spirit sanctify these offerings.

Let them become the body and blood of Jesus Christ our Lord

as we celebrate the great mystery

which he left us as an everlasting covenant.

Post-consecration epiclesis:

II: May all of us who share in the body and blood of Christ

be brought together in unity by the Holy Spirit.

III: Look with favour on your Church's offering,

and see the Victim whose death has reconciled us to yourself.

Grant that we, who are nourished by his body and blood,

may be filled with his Holy Spirit,

and become one body, one spirit in Christ.

IV: Lord, look upon this sacrifice which you have given to your Church;

and by your Holy Spirit, gather all who share this one bread and one cup

into the one body of Christ, a living sacrifice of praise.

[edit] Protestantism

[edit] Anglicanism and Lutheranism

Anglican and Lutheran Eucharistic prayers and newer Old Catholic anaphoras, tend to follow the perceived Eastern practice of treating the Words of Institution as a warrant for the action, with the Epiclesis following the anamnesis/oblation. For example, after the Words of Institution, the epiclesis in Eucharistic Prayer B in the American Book of Common Prayer (which is found in the Canadian Alternative Service Book and several other Anglican liturgies) reads:

"And we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, O Lord of All,

presenting to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine.

We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts

that they may be + the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and his Blood of the new Covenant.

Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice, that we may be acceptable through him,

being + sanctified by the Holy Spirit."

After the Words of Institution in the Lutheran Book of Worship, for example, the epiclesis in Eucharistic Prayer III reads:

"And we implore you

mercifully to accept our praise and thanksgiving

and, with your Word and Holy Spirit,

to bless us, your servants,

and these your own gifts of bread and wine;

that we and all who share in the + body and blood of your Son

may be filled with Heavenly peace and joy

and, receiving the forgiveness of sin,

may be + sanctified in soul and body,

and have our portion with all your saints."

Lutheran and Anglican divines have also argued that in earlier liturgies of theirs in which an Epiclesis and unity with the one sacrifice of Christ may not have seemed explicit, it was stated as the point of the consecration in other parts of the rite, notably in required exhortations.

[edit] Methodism

According to a 2003 report of the British Methodist Church, His Presence Makes The Feast: Holy Communion in the Methodist Church: "The one Spirit by whom we are all baptised into the one body (1 Corinthians 12:13) is the same Spirit who unites us in and with the body of Christ in Holy Communion. The Holy Spirit at work in the Church of the Acts of the Apostles brings into effect a witnessing and preaching community in which there is apostolic teaching, fellowship, prayer and the breaking of the bread (Acts 2:42)."^[2] The epiclesis of the Methodist liturgy draws from both the Anglican tradition, such as the 1549 Prayer Book, and the liturgical renewal movement of the 20th century that focused upon liturgies of the ancient church, such as the early rite of Hippolytus.^[2] From these traditions, John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, inherited the notion that the Holy Spirit was to be invoked to make real and true all that God had promised to bestow on the faithful through Holy Communion.^[2] This theology of epiclesis is evidenced in several Methodist hymns written by Charles Wesley, the brother of John Wesley.^[2]

The epiclesis used in the United Methodist Church is as follows:

"Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here,

and on these gifts of bread and wine.

Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ,

that we may be for the world the body of Christ,

redeemed by his blood..." (UMH; page 10).^[3]

Another epiclesis used in the Methodist Church in Great Britain is as follows:

"Send down your Holy Spirit

that these gifts of bread and wine

may be for us the body and blood of Christ.

Unite us with him for ever

and bring us with the whole creation

to your eternal kingdom."^[2]

[edit] References

1. ^ Epiklesis. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 2007-02-18.
2. ^ ^{a b c d e} Holy Communion in the Methodist Church. The Methodist Church. Retrieved on 2007-01-06.
3. ^ This Holy Mystery. The United Methodist Church. Retrieved on 2007-01-06.

[edit] External links

• The Epiklesis (photo)