Blood of Christ

Christ's side pierced by a lance, drawing blood

Evangelical-Lutheran priest elevating the chalice during the celebration of the Holy Mass *ad orientem* at Maria Magdalena Church, Sweden

Blood of Christ, also known as the Most Precious Blood, in Christian theology refers to the physical blood actually shed by Jesus Christ primarily on the Cross, and the salvation which Christianity teaches was accomplished thereby, or the sacramental blood (wine) present in the Eucharist or Lord's Supper, that some Christian denominations believe to be the same blood of Christ shed on the Cross.

The Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox churches, the Assyrian and Ancient Churches of the East, and the Evangelical-Lutheran Churches, together with high church Anglicans, know this as the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The Catholic Church uses the term transubstantiation to describe the change of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. The Eastern Orthodox Churches used the same term to describe the change, as in the decrees of the 1672 Synod of Jerusalem,^[1] and the Catechism of St. Philaret (Drozdov) of Moscow.^[2] The Evangelical-Lutheran churches affirm the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, following the teaching of Martin Luther in defining the presence of Christ in the eucharistic elements as sacramental union, meaning that the fundamental "substance" of the body and blood of Christ are literally present alongside the substance of the bread and wine, which remain present.^[3]

The Reformed Churches (Continental Reformed, Presbyterian, Reformed Anglican, and Congregationalist traditions) and the Methodist Churches teach the real spiritual presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper.^[4]^[5] The Plymouth Brethren and Unitarians adhere to memorialism.^[6]^[7]

History

In the early Church, the faithful received the Eucharist in the form of consecrated bread and wine. Saint Maximus explains that in the Old Law the flesh of the sacrificial victim was shared with the people, but the blood of the sacrifice was merely poured out on the altar. Under the New Law, however, Jesus's blood was the drink shared by all of Christ's faithful. St. Justin Martyr, an early Church Father of the 2nd century, speaks of the Eucharist as the same body and blood of Christ that was present in his Incarnation.

The tradition continued in the Church in the East to commingle the species of bread and wine, whereas in the West, the Church had the practice of communion under the species of bread and wine separately as the custom, with only a small fraction of bread placed in the chalice. In the West, the communion at the chalice was made less and less efficient, as the dangers of the spread of disease and danger of spillage (which would potentially be sacrilegious) were considered enough of a reason to remove the chalice from common communion altogether, or giving it on only special occasions. However, it was always consecrated and drunk by the priest, regardless of whether or not the laity partook. This was one of the issues debated during the Protestant Reformation.^[8] During this time, the Evangelical-Lutheran Churches affirmed the doctrine of communion under both kinds, in which the Body of Christ and the Blood of Christ were offered to the faithful.^[9]^[10] As a consequence, the Catholic Church first wanted to eliminate ambiguity, reaffirming that Christ was present as body and as blood equally under both species of bread and wine.^[8] After the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church gave a full permission for all to receive communion from the chalice at every Mass involving a congregation, at the discretion of the priest.^[11]^[12]

Theology

Catholic

Holy Blood relic in Santa Maria della Scala, Siena.

The Catholic Church teaches that the bread and wine, through transubstantiation, become the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ—in other words, the whole Christ—when consecrated.

Devotion to the Precious Blood was a special phenomenon of Flemish piety in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, that gave rise to the iconic image of Grace as the "Fountain of Life", filled with blood, pouring from the wounded "Lamb of God" or the Holy Wounds of Christ. The image, that was the subject of numerous Flemish paintings, was in part spurred by the renowned relic of the Precious Blood, which had been noted in Bruges at least since the twelfth century,^[13] and gave rise, from the late thirteenth century, to the observances, particular to Bruges, of the procession of the "Saint Sang" from its chapel.^[14]

Various prayers are part of the Catholic devotion to the Precious Blood. Those that mention the Blood include the Anima Christi, the Chaplet of Mercy of the Holy Wounds of Jesus, and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.

Evangelical-Lutheran

The Evangelical-Lutheran Churches affirm the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, with this doctrine being known as the sacramental union; Evangelical-Lutheran theology asserts that the "very body and blood of Christ" is received by the faithful.^[3]^[15] The real presence of Christ is effected at the Words of Institution:^[16]

Throughout his writings, Martin Luther insisted that after the words of institution were spoken, by the power of God’s Word, the true presence of Christ’s Body and Blood had been united to the bread and wine. Particularly interesting writings include his 1520 On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church, where Luther affirmed that the Body and Blood of Christ were present at the time of the elevation—when the pastor raises the host and the chalice after the words of institution.^[16]

Eastern Orthodox

The Eastern Orthodox teach that what is received in Holy Communion is the actual Resurrected Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. In the West, the Words of Institution are considered to be the moment at which the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ. However, for the Eastern Orthodox, there is not one defined moment; rather, all that Orthodox theology states is by the end of the Epiklesis, the change has been completed. The Eastern Orthodox also do not use the Latin theological term Transubstantiation to define the conversion from bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, they use the word metousiosis without the precise theological elaboration that accompanies the term transubstantiation.

Devotion

In the Eastern Orthodox churches, and those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite, there is no individual devotion to the Blood of Christ separate from the Body of Christ, or separated from the reception of Holy Communion.

When receiving Holy Communion, the clergy (deacons, priests and bishops) will receive the Body of Christ separately from the Blood of Christ. Then, the remaining portions of the consecrated Lamb (Host) is divided up and placed in the chalice and both the Body and Blood of Christ are communicated to the faithful using a liturgical spoon (see also Intinction).

Christian Fundamentalism

Some Christian Fundamentalists teach that after Jesus' resurrection, he took his blood into heaven and sprinkled it into a literal heavenly mercy seat as a part of his priestly work.^[17]^[18] According to this doctrine, Jesus carried His blood into heaven, this act being an essential component of His redemptive work for humanity. Proponents of this view often interpret John 20:17—where Jesus tells Mary Magdalene not to touch Him—as indicating that He had not yet completed the task of sprinkling His blood on the heavenly mercy seat.^[19]

Some Christians such as Robert Thieme argued that the "blood of Christ" as mentioned in the bible is a mere metaphor for his death, saying the real blood of Christ has no significance in the atonement. Since this position was not held by other faculty members of Dallas theological seminary it caused a local controversy. John Walvoord said to him Christ had to shed his blood to fulfill scriptures such as 1 Peter 1:18-19 and Hebrews 9:22 while Robert G. Walter went somewhat further than Walvoord, arguing that Thieme was outside Christian orthodoxy.^[20]

Artistic depictions

The blood shed by Christ was a common theme in early modern Italian art. Paintings of Christ depicted on the cross and as the Man of Sorrows have consistently been some of the bloodiest images in Christian art. The blood of Christ was a compelling artistic symbol of his incarnation and sacrifice. As a theme for contemplation, it provided worshippers with a means to articulate their devotion.^[21]

Relics of the Blood around the world

References

^ "In the celebration (of the Eucharist) we believe the Lord Jesus Christ to be present, not typically, nor figuratively, nor by superabundant grace, as in the other Mysteries, nor by a bare presence, as some of the Fathers have said concerning Baptism, [...] but truly and really, so that after the consecration of the bread and of the wine, the bread is transmuted, transubstantiated, converted and transformed into the true Body Itself of the Lord, Which was born in Bethlehem of the ever-Virgin, was baptized in the Jordan, suffered, was buried, rose again, was received up, sitteth at the right hand of the God and Father, and is to come again in the clouds of Heaven; and the wine is converted and transubstantiated into the true Blood Itself of the Lord, Which as He hung upon the Cross, was poured out for the life of the world" (Decree XVII Archived 2011-09-27 at the Wayback Machine).
^ "The bread and wine are changed, or transubstantiated, into the very Body of Christ, and into the very Blood of Christ" (question 339).
^ ^a ^b Mattox, Mickey L.; Roeber, A. G. (27 February 2012). Changing Churches: An Orthodox, Catholic, and Lutheran Theological Conversation. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. p. 54. ISBN 978-0-8028-6694-3. In this "sacramental union," Lutherans taught, the body and blood of Christ are so truly united to the bread and wine of the Holy Communion so that the two may be identified. They are at the same time body and blood, bread and wine. This divine food is given, more-over, not just for the strengthening of faith, nor only as a sign of our unity in faith, nor merely as an assurance of the forgiveness of sin. Even more, in this sacrament the Lutheran Christian receives the very body and blood of Christ for the strengthening of the union of faith. The "real presence" of Christ in the Holy Sacrament is the means by which the union of faith, effected by God's Word and the sacrament of baptism, is strengthened and maintained.
^ Elwell, Walter A. (May 2001). Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. Baker Academic. p. 990. ISBN 978-0-8010-2075-9.
^ Mahoney, James (9 July 2024). "The Methodist's Duty: Wesley's "Constant Communion" and the 21st Century Methodist". Firebrand Magazine. Retrieved 4 April 2025. Methodists say with Wesley that Holy Communion is a sacrament, and though we choose not to define our understanding along the lines of transubstantiation or consubstantiation (Methodist Articles of Religion, Art. XVIII), we do nonetheless believe in the Real Presence (that Jesus is present "after a spiritual manner," Art. XVIII) and that this sacrament is both medicine and food.
^ Gibson, Jean. "Lesson 13: The Lord's Supper". Plymouth Brethren Writings. Retrieved 27 April 2022. On the night of this sacred observance, Jesus introduced the memorial observance of bread and wine. Thereafter it was to remind believers of his body given and his blood shed for their salvation.
^ Rees, Thomas (1818). The Racovian Catechism. Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown. p. 264.
^ ^a ^b Toner, Patrick (1908). Communion under Both Kinds. Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved 28 December 2022. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
^ "Art. XXII (X): Of Both Kinds in the Lord's Supper". Book of Concord. 10 December 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
^ Reconciliation in Remembrance of Jesus Christ: Treating Holy Communion, Eucharist and Holy Sacrifice with Ecumenical Sensitivity. A contribution to the 11th assembly of the WCC (Karlsruhe, August 2022). LIT Verlag. 23 January 2023. p. 55. ISBN 978-3-643-96510-3. In all Lutheran and Catholic orders of the Mass, both old and new, the words of institution, or the domnical words of consecration are central. There is also no doubt that these words are perceived as the most important part of the Mass. ... The validity of the Eucharist is based on the consecration and on Christ's presence in the species, not on the manner in which they are used. Therefore, those who receive only the consecrated bread also receive the whole Christ. In Lutheran practice communion under both kinds is the norm because Christ used both bread and wine when he instituted the Eucharist.
^ Kennedy, Philip (2011). Christianity: An Introduction. I.B. Tauris. pp. 247–. ISBN 978-1-84885-383-6. Four hundred years after the Reformation, Vatican II reversed all this and decreed that the assembled people of God celebrate the liturgy; that the texts of worship may be translated into vernacular languages; that the assembled people could drink from the communion cup; that the reading of scripture was to be an essential element of all worship; and that the Eucharist was to be regarded as the source and summit of the Church's life: Ubi Eucharistia, ibi Ecclesia – wherever the Eucharist is, there too is the Church. Such a view was entirely alien to pre-conciliar Roman theology which was more comfortable with the idea: 'Wherever the Pope is, there too is the Church.' Much of this was entirely consonant with Protestant sensibilities and explains why Vatican II was a milestone for Catholic, Protestants, the Orthodox, and all religions.
^ Wedig, Mark E (2013). "Reception of the Eucharist Under Two Species". www.pastoralliturgy.org. Liturgy Training Publications. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
^ Evelyn Underhill, "The Fountain of Life: An Iconographical Study," The Burlington Magazine 17:86 (May 1910, pp. 99–101 [100]).
^ The first historian of the "Saint Sang" was the Abbé Carton, "Essai sur l'histoire du Saint Sang," Bruges, 1857. (noted Underhill 1910: 100 note).
^ Voigt, A. G. (1917). Biblical Dogmatics. Press of Lutheran Board of Publication. p. 215.
^ ^a ^b Grocki, Becky (24 March 2021). "Sacramental Union and Handling of the Elements". Our Savior Lutheran Church and School. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
^ Sargent, Robert (1989). Landmarks of Baptist Doctrine. Bible Baptist Church Publications. p. 263.
^ "Blood of Christ". www.cprf.co.uk. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
^ Constable, Thomas. Tom Constable's Expository Bible Study Notes. Galaxie Software. Footnote 82: "K. M. Monroe, EQ [Evangelical Quarterly] v (1933), p. 404 (in an article 'Time Element in the Atonement', pp. 397ff., which was answered by T. Houghton, 'The Atonement', EQ vi [1934], pp. 137ff.). Monroe argued that our Lord, after His resurrection, ascended immediately into heaven to sprinkle His blood on 'the heavenly capporeth [mercy seat]' and therefore could not allow Mary Magdalene to hinder Him (John 20:17) until He had completed this essential stage of His atoning work. The ascension of John 20:17 is thus quite distinct from the ascension of Acts 1:9." [Note: Bruce, The Epistle . . ., pp. 200-201. Chafer, 4:118; 5:262-63; and 7:20 also held this view. See Philip E. Hughes, "The Blood . . .," 519:195-212, for refutation and further discussion.]
^ bob thieme's teachings on christian living. 1978.
^ Hiller, Diana (2015). "Saintly blood: absence, presence, and the alter Christus". Parergon. 32 (Journal Article): 183–. ISSN 0313-6221. – via Academic OneFile (subscription required)

External links

Litany to the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ God at EWTN (also available in Latin)
Missionaries of the Precious Blood

[1] "In the celebration (of the Eucharist) we believe the Lord Jesus Christ to be present, not typically, nor figuratively, nor by superabundant grace, as in the other Mysteries, nor by a bare presence, as some of the Fathers have said concerning Baptism, [...] but truly and really, so that after the consecration of the bread and of the wine, the bread is transmuted, transubstantiated, converted and transformed into the true Body Itself of the Lord, Which was born in Bethlehem of the ever-Virgin, was baptized in the Jordan, suffered, was buried, rose again, was received up, sitteth at the right hand of the God and Father, and is to come again in the clouds of Heaven; and the wine is converted and transubstantiated into the true Blood Itself of the Lord, Which as He hung upon the Cross, was poured out for the life of the world" (Decree XVII Archived 2011-09-27 at the Wayback Machine).

[2] "The bread and wine are changed, or transubstantiated, into the very Body of Christ, and into the very Blood of Christ" (question 339).

[MattoxRoeber2012-3] Mattox, Mickey L.; Roeber, A. G. (27 February 2012). Changing Churches: An Orthodox, Catholic, and Lutheran Theological Conversation. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. p. 54. ISBN 978-0-8028-6694-3. In this "sacramental union," Lutherans taught, the body and blood of Christ are so truly united to the bread and wine of the Holy Communion so that the two may be identified. They are at the same time body and blood, bread and wine. This divine food is given, more-over, not just for the strengthening of faith, nor only as a sign of our unity in faith, nor merely as an assurance of the forgiveness of sin. Even more, in this sacrament the Lutheran Christian receives the very body and blood of Christ for the strengthening of the union of faith. The "real presence" of Christ in the Holy Sacrament is the means by which the union of faith, effected by God's Word and the sacrament of baptism, is strengthened and maintained.

[Elwell2001-4] Elwell, Walter A. (May 2001). Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. Baker Academic. p. 990. ISBN 978-0-8010-2075-9.

[Mahoney2024-5] Mahoney, James (9 July 2024). "The Methodist's Duty: Wesley's "Constant Communion" and the 21st Century Methodist". Firebrand Magazine. Retrieved 4 April 2025. Methodists say with Wesley that Holy Communion is a sacrament, and though we choose not to define our understanding along the lines of transubstantiation or consubstantiation (Methodist Articles of Religion, Art. XVIII), we do nonetheless believe in the Real Presence (that Jesus is present "after a spiritual manner," Art. XVIII) and that this sacrament is both medicine and food.

[Gibson2022-6] Gibson, Jean. "Lesson 13: The Lord's Supper". Plymouth Brethren Writings. Retrieved 27 April 2022. On the night of this sacred observance, Jesus introduced the memorial observance of bread and wine. Thereafter it was to remind believers of his body given and his blood shed for their salvation.

[Rees-7] Rees, Thomas (1818). The Racovian Catechism. Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown. p. 264.

[Toner1908-8] Toner, Patrick (1908). Communion under Both Kinds. Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved 28 December 2022. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)

[9] "Art. XXII (X): Of Both Kinds in the Lord's Supper". Book of Concord. 10 December 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2026.

[10] Reconciliation in Remembrance of Jesus Christ: Treating Holy Communion, Eucharist and Holy Sacrifice with Ecumenical Sensitivity. A contribution to the 11th assembly of the WCC (Karlsruhe, August 2022). LIT Verlag. 23 January 2023. p. 55. ISBN 978-3-643-96510-3. In all Lutheran and Catholic orders of the Mass, both old and new, the words of institution, or the domnical words of consecration are central. There is also no doubt that these words are perceived as the most important part of the Mass. ... The validity of the Eucharist is based on the consecration and on Christ's presence in the species, not on the manner in which they are used. Therefore, those who receive only the consecrated bread also receive the whole Christ. In Lutheran practice communion under both kinds is the norm because Christ used both bread and wine when he instituted the Eucharist.

[Kennedy2011-11] Kennedy, Philip (2011). Christianity: An Introduction. I.B. Tauris. pp. 247–. ISBN 978-1-84885-383-6. Four hundred years after the Reformation, Vatican II reversed all this and decreed that the assembled people of God celebrate the liturgy; that the texts of worship may be translated into vernacular languages; that the assembled people could drink from the communion cup; that the reading of scripture was to be an essential element of all worship; and that the Eucharist was to be regarded as the source and summit of the Church's life: Ubi Eucharistia, ibi Ecclesia – wherever the Eucharist is, there too is the Church. Such a view was entirely alien to pre-conciliar Roman theology which was more comfortable with the idea: 'Wherever the Pope is, there too is the Church.' Much of this was entirely consonant with Protestant sensibilities and explains why Vatican II was a milestone for Catholic, Protestants, the Orthodox, and all religions.

[12] Wedig, Mark E (2013). "Reception of the Eucharist Under Two Species". www.pastoralliturgy.org. Liturgy Training Publications. Retrieved 28 December 2022.

[13] Evelyn Underhill, "The Fountain of Life: An Iconographical Study," The Burlington Magazine 17:86 (May 1910, pp. 99–101 [100]).

[14] The first historian of the "Saint Sang" was the Abbé Carton, "Essai sur l'histoire du Saint Sang," Bruges, 1857. (noted Underhill 1910: 100 note).

[Voigt1917-15] Voigt, A. G. (1917). Biblical Dogmatics. Press of Lutheran Board of Publication. p. 215.

[Grocki2021-16] Grocki, Becky (24 March 2021). "Sacramental Union and Handling of the Elements". Our Savior Lutheran Church and School. Retrieved 21 May 2025.

[:02-17] Sargent, Robert (1989). Landmarks of Baptist Doctrine. Bible Baptist Church Publications. p. 263.

[18] "Blood of Christ". www.cprf.co.uk. Retrieved 2025-04-06.

[19] Constable, Thomas. Tom Constable's Expository Bible Study Notes. Galaxie Software. Footnote 82: "K. M. Monroe, EQ [Evangelical Quarterly] v (1933), p. 404 (in an article 'Time Element in the Atonement', pp. 397ff., which was answered by T. Houghton, 'The Atonement', EQ vi [1934], pp. 137ff.). Monroe argued that our Lord, after His resurrection, ascended immediately into heaven to sprinkle His blood on 'the heavenly capporeth [mercy seat]' and therefore could not allow Mary Magdalene to hinder Him (John 20:17) until He had completed this essential stage of His atoning work. The ascension of John 20:17 is thus quite distinct from the ascension of Acts 1:9." [Note: Bruce, The Epistle . . ., pp. 200-201. Chafer, 4:118; 5:262-63; and 7:20 also held this view. See Philip E. Hughes, "The Blood . . .," 519:195-212, for refutation and further discussion.]

[20] bob thieme's teachings on christian living. 1978.

[21] Hiller, Diana (2015). "Saintly blood: absence, presence, and the alter Christus". Parergon. 32 (Journal Article): 183–. ISSN 0313-6221. – via Academic OneFile (subscription required)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

v t e Order of the Divine Service in Lutheranism
Preparatory Service	Entrance hymn and Trinitarian formula (known as the Invocation) Penitential Act including the Confiteor and Declaration of Grace (or Asperges on Easter)
The Service of the Word	Introit Gloria Patri Kýrie Gloria Dominus vobiscum Oremus Collect Old Testament reading gradual (or Responsorial Psalm) Epistle Alleluia (tract during Lent) Gospel Hymn of the day Homily or Postil (Sermon) Nicene Creed (Athanasian Creed on Trinity Sunday) Offertory Prayers of the Faithful
The Service of the Eucharist	Preface (Sursum corda / Sanctus / Hosanna) Eucharistic Prayer (Epiclesis / Words of Institution / Memorial Acclamation) Lord's Prayer Sign of peace / pax (elevation) Agnus Dei Distribution Nunc dimittis Postcommunion Benedicamus Domino Benediction Dismissal Ite, missa est
Participants	Acolyte bishop cantor choir crucifer deacon elder laity lector Pastor (or Priest) usher
Parts of the Sanctuary	altar altar bell altar crucifix altar rail kneeler piscina processional cross tabernacle
Candles	altar candle paschal candle sanctuary lamp votive candle
Liturgical vessels	ciborium chalice cruet
Liturgical objects	collection basket holy water incense (use) paten sacramental bread (wafer) sacramental wine thurible
Vestments	alb chasuble dalmatic geneva gown humeral veil stole surplice tunicle
Liturgical books and hymnals	Christian Worship (1993) Christian Worship (2021) Common Service Book (1917) Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-Book (1912) Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary (1996) Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006) Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) The Lutheran Hymnal (1941) Lutheran Hymnal with Supplement (1989) Lutheran Service Book (2006) Lutheran Worship (1982) ReClaim Hymnal (2006) Service Book and Hymnal (1958)

v t e Shroud of Turin
History	History of the Shroud of Turin Secondo Pia, photographer Conservation-restoration of the Shroud of Turin
Location	Chapel of the Holy Shroud Royal Palace of Turin Turin Cathedral
Investigations	Shroud of Turin Research Project (STURP) Radiocarbon dating of the shroud VP8 Image Analyzer
Researchers	Pierre Barbet Ulysse Chevalier Yves Delage Barbara Frale Walter McCrone Joe Nickell Lynn Picknett Raymond Rogers Phillip H. Wiebe Ian Wilson Frederick Zugibe
Related	Fringe theories about the Shroud of Turin Image of Edessa Pray Codex House of Savoy Holy Face of Jesus Relics associated with Jesus acheiropoieta blood Sudarium of Oviedo Resurrection of Jesus

Authority control databases
International	GND
National	United States France BnF data Czech Republic Latvia Israel
Other	Yale LUX