About

Friday, May 3, 2019

Nicholas Cabasilas on the Words of Consecration

I won't pretend that Cabasilas was a Latinist in his theology of the Eucharist. However, he certainly has more similarities with the Roman Church than many contemporary Orthodox do on this matter.

Commentary on the Divine Liturgy 32:

The priest recites the story of that august Last Supper, telling how, before He suffered, He gave to the disciples this sacrament, and took the bread and the chalice, and having given thanks said those words which expressed the mystery; repeating those words, the celebrant prostrates himself and prays, while applying to the offerings these words of the Only-Begotten, our Savior, that they may, after having received his most Holy and All-Powerful Spirit, be transformed-- the Bread into his holy Body, the wine into his most precious and Sacred blood. 

When these words have been said, the whole sacred rite is accomplished, the offerings are consecrated, the sacrifice is complete; the splendid Victim, the Divine oblation, slain for the salvation of the world, lies upon the altar. For it is no longer the bread, which until now has represented the Lord's Body, nor is it a simple offering, bearing the likeness of the true offering, carrying as if engraved on it the symbols of the Saviour's Passion; it is the true Victim, the most holy Body of the Lord, which really suffered the outrages, insults and blows; which was crucified and slain, which under Pontius Pilate bore such splendid witness; that Body which was mocked, scourged, spat upon, and which tasted gall. In like manner the wine has become the blood which flowed from that Body. It is that Body and Blood formed by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, which was buried, which rose again on the third day, which ascended into heaven and sits on the right hand of the Father.