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The Eucharist is the most important celebration in church as it is the source of all Catholic life. It encompasses the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
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Wine is used to represent the blood of Jesus Christ as blood is associated with life. The bread is used to represent the body of Jesus as bread is used to support life.
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In the book of Exodus God asked the Israelites to sacrifice a lamb, and sprinkle some of its blood on their doorposts. That night, when the angel of death struck down the first born of the families of Egypt, the Hebrew families, with the blood of the lamb on their doorposts, were spared.
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They gathered with Moses to begin the long journey to freedom, wearing clothes for the journey and carrying unleavened bread as well as the remains of the lamb they had sacrificed. This was the first Passover, which refers to the passing over of the Hebrew people from slavery to freedom
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During the last supper, Jesus broke apart the bread and passed it around saying "This is my body, which will be given up for you". He then passed around the cup of wine and said "This is my blood, which will be poured out for you. Do this in memory of me".
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In roughly the first 20 year after the last supper, the breaking of the bread happened within a meal. From the middle of the first century, the celebration was separated from the meal.
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Paul wrote a letter to the Corinthians around the year 55AD talking about how the Eucharist is central to life.
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In the year 1215AD, to encourage people to receive the eucharist it became mandatory for Catholics to receive communion on Easter.