eucharists

A type of sacrament and central act of worship for most Christian denominations that is based on the Last Supper when Jesus identified the wine he poured and the bread he broke as his blood and body. The rite generally consists of the consecration of bread and wine by the minister or priest and its distribution to the worshippers. Aspects of the theology of the eucharist have long been controversial, particularly during the Reformation. It is now widely agreed that the eucharist commemorates the unique sacrifice of Christ in such a way as to make its effects real. The term derives from the Greek 'eucharistia' meaning 'thanksgiving.'