ARK Practice Exam 2025 – Complete Religious Knowledge Test Prep

Holy Communion is also known as The Eucharist. This term comes from the Greek word "eucharistia," which means gratitude or thankfulness. The Eucharist refers specifically to the sacrament in which bread and wine are consecrated and consumed, believed to be the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ in many Christian traditions. This practice is central to Christian worship and reflects the Last Supper that Jesus had with his disciples before his crucifixion, where he instituted this sacrament.

While The Body of Christ, The Last Supper, and The Paschal Meal are related concepts, they emphasize different aspects. The Body of Christ refers to the belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and is an important theological point within Communion. The Last Supper signifies the historical event where the institution of Holy Communion took place, and The Paschal Meal connects to the Jewish Passover elements, as the Last Supper was set during Passover. However, The Eucharist serves as the term that universally encompasses the sacramental action of Holy Communion across many Christian denominations.