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Eucharistic miracle

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Eucharistic miracle is any miracle involving the Eucharist , regarding which the most prominent Christian denominations , especially the Catholic Church , teach that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist , which is by itself a Eucharistic miracle; however, this is to be distinguished from other manifestations of God . Eucharistic miracles are most known and emphasized within the context of the Catholic Church, which distinguishes between divine revelation , such as the Eucharist, and private revelation , such as Eucharistic miracles.

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127-768: In general, reported Eucharistic miracles usually consist of unexplainable phenomena such as consecrated Hosts visibly transforming into myocardium tissue , being preserved for extremely long stretches of time, surviving being thrown into fire, bleeding, or even sustaining people for decades. In the Catholic Church, a special task-force or commission scientifically investigates supposed Eucharistic miracles before deciding whether they are "worthy of belief," in order to differentiate real Eucharistic miracles from cases of contamination by bacteria, such as Neurospora crassa or Serratia marcescens . As with other private revelations, such as Marian apparitions , belief in approved miracles

254-506: A bishop of the Moravian Church , stated that Holy Communion is the "most intimate of all connection with the person of the Saviour". The Moravian Church adheres to a view known as the "sacramental presence", teaching that in the sacrament of Holy Communion : Christ gives his body and blood according to his promise to all who partake of the elements. When we eat and drink the bread and

381-644: A Eucharistic miracle more commonly reported is that of the Bleeding Host, where blood starts to trickle from a consecrated host, the bread consecrated during Mass. Other types of purported miracles include consecrated hosts being preserved for hundreds of years, such as the event of the Miraculous Hosts of Siena. Other miracles include a consecrated host passing through a fire unscathed, stolen consecrated hosts vanishing and turning up in churches, and levitating consecrated hosts. The Mass at Bolsena , depicted in

508-575: A constant flow of blood to provide oxygen and nutrients. Blood is brought to the myocardium by the coronary arteries . These originate from the aortic root and lie on the outer or epicardial surface of the heart. Blood is then drained away by the coronary veins into the right atrium . Cardiac muscle cells (also called cardiomyocytes ) are the contractile myocytes of the cardiac muscle. The cells are surrounded by an extracellular matrix produced by supporting fibroblast cells. Specialised modified cardiomyocytes known as pacemaker cells , set

635-421: A coordinated manner they allow the ventricle to squeeze in several directions simultaneously – longitudinally (becoming shorter from apex to base), radially (becoming narrower from side to side), and with a twisting motion (similar to wringing out a damp cloth) to squeeze the maximum possible amount of blood out of the heart with each heartbeat. Contracting heart muscle uses a lot of energy, and therefore requires

762-546: A famous fresco by Raphael at the Vatican in Rome, was an incident said to have taken place in 1263. A Bohemian priest who doubted the doctrine of transubstantiation celebrated Mass at Bolsena , a town north of Rome. During the Mass the bread of the eucharist began to bleed. The blood from the host fell onto the altar linen in the shape of the face of Jesus as traditionally represented, and

889-538: A farmer in Bavaria took a consecrated Host from Mass to his house, believing that it would bring him and his family good fortune. However he was plagued by the feeling that what he had done was very wrong and turned to go back to the church to confess his sin. As he turned, the Host flew from his hand, floated in the air and landed on the ground. He searched for it, but he could not see it. He went back accompanied by many villagers and

1016-493: A microscope, cardiac muscle cells are roughly rectangular, measuring 100–150μm by 30–40μm. Individual cardiac muscle cells are joined at their ends by intercalated discs to form long fibers. Each cell contains myofibrils , specialized protein contractile fibers of actin and myosin that slide past each other. These are organized into sarcomeres , the fundamental contractile units of muscle cells. The regular organization of myofibrils into sarcomeres gives cardiac muscle cells

1143-566: A myocardial infarction. A healthy adult cardiomyocyte has a cylindrical shape that is approximately 100μm long and 10–25μm in diameter. Cardiomyocyte hypertrophy occurs through sarcomerogenesis, the creation of new sarcomere units in the cell. During heart volume overload, cardiomyocytes grow through eccentric hypertrophy. The cardiomyocytes extend lengthwise but have the same diameter, resulting in ventricular dilation. During heart pressure overload, cardiomyocytes grow through concentric hypertrophy. The cardiomyocytes grow larger in diameter but have

1270-404: A normal blood supply. The heart muscle may become inflamed in a condition called myocarditis , most commonly caused by a viral infection but sometimes caused by the body's own immune system . Heart muscle can also be damaged by drugs such as alcohol, long standing high blood pressure or hypertension , or persistent abnormal heart racing . Many of these conditions, if severe enough, can damage

1397-534: A philosophical elaboration in line with that metaphysics was developed, which found classic formulation in the teaching of Saint Thomas Aquinas. It was only then that Scholasticism cast Christian theology in the terms of Aristotelianism . The metaphysical aspects of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist were firstly described since the time of the Latin juvenile treatise titled De venerabili sacramento altaris (On

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1524-580: A shrine to Jesus after a piece of the Eucharist was placed in a beehive, a church that was burnt to ashes while the pyx containing the Eucharist was still intact, and a woman who found the Host transformed into congealed blood after she stored it in a box. In 2016, in Aalst , a small town in Flanders ( Belgium ), a 200-year-old eucharistic host in a monstrance , suddenly showed blood red colour. On 7 July at 17:45 this Eucharistic host spontaneously started colouring, in

1651-660: A striped or striated appearance when looked at through a microscope, similar to skeletal muscle. These striations are caused by lighter I bands composed mainly of actin, and darker A bands composed mainly of myosin. Cardiomyocytes contain T-tubules , pouches of cell membrane that run from the cell surface to the cell's interior which help to improve the efficiency of contraction. The majority of these cells contain only one nucleus (some may have two central nuclei), unlike skeletal muscle cells which contain many nuclei . Cardiac muscle cells contain many mitochondria which provide

1778-445: A term which is specifically rejected by most Lutheran churches and theologians since it creates confusion about the actual doctrine, and it subjects the doctrine to the control of an abiblical philosophical concept in the same manner as, in their view, does the term "transubstantiation". For Lutherans, there is no Sacrament unless the elements are used according to Christ's institution (consecration, distribution, and reception). This

1905-581: Is a pneumatic presence , while those of an Anglo-Catholic churchmanship believe this is a corporeal presence, but at the same time still rejecting the philosophical explanation of transubstantiation. Some Catholic saints reportedly survived for years on nothing but the Eucharist. Marthe Robin (Venerable) fasted from all food and drink except the Eucharist from 1930 to her death in 1981. Brazilian Servant of God Floripes Dornellas de Jesus reportedly lived for 60 years feeding with Eucharist only. Teresa Neumann ,

2032-415: Is a characteristic phenomenon for this muscle. (...) in the electron microscopic examination, clear outlines of inserts and bundles of delicate myocardium were visible." Roman Catholic Eucharistic doctrine draws upon a quasi-Aristotelian understanding of reality, in which the core substance or essential reality of a given thing is bound to, but not equivalent with, its sensible realities or accidents. In

2159-490: Is a network of cardiomyocytes connected by intercalated discs that enable the rapid transmission of electrical impulses through the network, enabling the syncytium to act in a coordinated contraction of the myocardium. There is an atrial syncytium and a ventricular syncytium that are connected by cardiac connection fibres. Electrical resistance through intercalated discs is very low, thus allowing free diffusion of ions. The ease of ion movement along cardiac muscle fibers axes

2286-520: Is a partaking of the body of Christ, likewise the cup of blessing is a partaking of the blood of Christ. Transubstantiation (or the change of the substance of Bread and Wine) in the supper of the Lord, cannot be proved by Holy Writ; but is repugnant to the plain words of scripture, overthroweth the nature of the Sacrament and hath given occasion to many superstitions. The Body of Christ is given, taken and eaten in

2413-424: Is composed of individual cardiac muscle cells joined by intercalated discs , and encased by collagen fibers and other substances that form the extracellular matrix . Cardiac muscle contracts in a similar manner to skeletal muscle , although with some important differences. Electrical stimulation in the form of a cardiac action potential triggers the release of calcium from the cell's internal calcium store,

2540-546: Is gathered with the vessel of faith". "The flesh and blood of Christ are no less truly given to the unworthy than to God's elect believers", Calvin said; but those who partake by faith receive benefit from Christ, and the unbelieving are condemned by partaking. By faith (not a mere mental apprehension), and in the Holy Spirit, the partaker beholds God incarnate, and in the same sense touches him with hands, so that by eating and drinking of bread and wine Christ's presence penetrates to

2667-435: Is my body, that is, the figure of my body. A figure, however, there could not have been, unless there were first a veritable body. An empty thing, or phantom, is incapable of a figure. If, however, (as Marcion might say) He pretended the bread was his body, because He lacked the truth of bodily substance, it follows that He must have given bread for us." The Apostolic Constitutions (compiled c.  380 ) says: "Let

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2794-464: Is not mandated by the Catholic Church, but often serves to reassure believers of God's presence or as the means to "send a message" to the population at large. The Catholic Church differentiates between true miracles and occurrences that are explainable by natural causes. For example, in 2006, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas gave over a Eucharist host that turned red while in a glass for

2921-430: Is not what nature made, but what the blessing consecrated, and the power of blessing is greater than that of nature, because by blessing nature itself is changed. ... For that sacrament which you receive is made what it is by the word of Christ. But if the word of Elijah had such power as to bring down fire from heaven, shall not the word of Christ have power to change the nature of the elements? ... Why do you seek

3048-430: Is one of three types of vertebrate muscle tissues , the others being skeletal muscle and smooth muscle . It is an involuntary, striated muscle that constitutes the main tissue of the wall of the heart . The cardiac muscle (myocardium) forms a thick middle layer between the outer layer of the heart wall (the pericardium ) and the inner layer (the endocardium ), with blood supplied via the coronary circulation . It

3175-563: Is such that action potentials are able to travel from one cardiac muscle cell to the next, facing only slight resistance. Each syncytium obeys the all or none law . Intercalated discs are complex adhering structures that connect the single cardiomyocytes to an electrochemical syncytium (in contrast to the skeletal muscle, which becomes a multicellular syncytium during embryonic development ). The discs are responsible mainly for force transmission during muscle contraction. Intercalated discs consist of three different types of cell-cell junctions:

3302-461: Is the belief in the Real Presence (pneumatic) in the sacrament and that it is a Holy Mystery. Reformed theology has traditionally taught that Jesus' body is seated in heaven at the right hand of God; therefore his body is not physically present in the elements, nor do the elements turn into his body in a physical or any objective sense. However, Reformed theology has also historically taught that when

3429-446: Is the direct result of a membrane which allows sodium ions to slowly enter the cell until the threshold is reached for depolarization. Calcium ions follow and extend the depolarization even further. Once calcium stops moving inward, potassium ions move out slowly to produce repolarization. The very slow repolarization of the CMC membrane is responsible for the long refractory period. However,

3556-451: Is usually not practiced by most Lutherans except for bowing , genuflecting , and kneeling to receive the Eucharist from the Words of Institution and elevation to reception of the holy meal. The reliquæ traditionally are consumed by the celebrant after the people have communed, except that a small amount may be reserved for delivery to those too ill or infirm to attend the service. In this case,

3683-451: The Ambrosian theology of the identity of the sacramental and historical body of the Lord. The dispute ended with Radbertus's letter to Frudiger, in which he stressed further the identity of the sacramental and historical body of Christ, but met the opposing view to the extent of emphasizing the spiritual nature of the sacramental body. Friedrich Kempf comments: "Since Paschasius had identified

3810-520: The L-type calcium channels triggers a much larger release of calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum in a phenomenon known as calcium-induced calcium release . In contrast, in skeletal muscle, minimal calcium flows into the cell during action potential and instead the sarcoplasmic reticulum in these cells is directly coupled to the surface membrane. This difference can be illustrated by the observation that cardiac muscle fibers require calcium to be present in

3937-592: The Plymouth Brethren , some non-denominational Christian churches , as well as those identifying with liberal Christianity , segments of the Restoration Movement , and Jehovah's Witnesses . The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist has been believed since very ancient times. Early Christian writers referred to the Eucharistic elements as Jesus's body and the blood. The short document known as

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4064-556: The Teachings of the Apostles or Didache , which may be the earliest Christian document outside of the New Testament to speak of the Eucharist, says, "Let no one eat or drink of your Eucharist, unless they have been baptized into the name of the Lord; for concerning this also the Lord has said, 'Give not that which is holy to the dogs'." Ignatius of Antioch , writing in about AD 106 to

4191-552: The reality of the change" from bread and wine into the body and the blood of Christ at the consecration of the elements, the Orthodox have "never attempted to explain the manner of the change ." —Brad Harper and Paul Louis Metzger The Greek term metousiosis ( μετουσίωσις ) is sometimes used by Eastern Orthodox Christians to describe the change since this term "is not bound up with the scholastic theory of substance and accidents", but it does not have official status as "a dogma of

4318-423: The sarcoplasmic reticulum . The rise in calcium causes the cell's myofilaments to slide past each other in a process called excitation-contraction coupling . Diseases of the heart muscle known as cardiomyopathies are of major importance. These include ischemic conditions caused by a restricted blood supply to the muscle such as angina , and myocardial infarction . Cardiac muscle tissue or myocardium forms

4445-583: The 1960s, and ultimately confirmed in native cardiac tissue with the help of optogenetic techniques. Other potential roles for fibroblasts include electrical insulation of the cardiac conduction system , and the ability to transform into other cell types including cardiomyocytes and adipocytes . The extracellular matrix (ECM) surrounds the cardiomyocyte and fibroblasts. The ECM is composed of proteins including collagen and elastin along with polysaccharides (sugar chains) known as glycosaminoglycans . Together, these substances give support and strength to

4572-588: The Body and Blood of Christ—Against the Fanatics in 1526. Saying that "bread and body are two distinct substances", he declared that "out of two kinds of objects a union has taken place, which I shall call a 'sacramental union ' ". Thus, the main theological division in this question, turned out to be not between Catholicism and Protestantism, but within Protestantism, especially between Luther and Zwingli , who discussed

4699-457: The Church, " Ave Verum Corpus ", greets Christ in the Eucharist as follows (in translation from the original Latin): "Hail, true body, born of Mary Virgin, and which truly suffered and was immolated on the cross for mankind!" The Catholic Church also holds that the presence of Christ in the Eucharist is entire: it does not see what is really in the Eucharist as a lifeless corpse and mere blood, but as

4826-678: The Congregationalist belief regarding the pneumatic presence in The Holy Catholic Church from the Congregational Point of View : He is really present at the Lord's Supper without any such limitation to the element unless we are prepared to maintain that the material is more real than the spiritual. It is the whole Christ who presents Himself to faith, so that the believer has communion with Him. The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith , in which Reformed Baptists believe, affirms

4953-701: The Eucharist is the Christian doctrine that Jesus Christ is present in the Eucharist , not merely symbolically or metaphorically , but in a true, real and substantial way. There are a number of Christian denominations that teach that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist, including Catholicism , Eastern Orthodoxy , Oriental Orthodoxy , the Church of the East , the Moravian Church , Lutheranism , Anglicanism , Methodism , and Reformed Christianity . The differences in

5080-522: The Eucharist and from prayer, because they confess not the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ, which suffered for our sins, and which the Father, of his goodness, raised up again." In about 150, Justin Martyr , referring to the Eucharist, wrote in his First Apology : "Not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Savior, having been made flesh by

5207-646: The Eucharist and the Real Presence , though they reject the Roman Catholic concept of transubstantiation, preferring instead, the doctrine of the sacramental union , in which "the body and blood of Christ are so truly united to the bread and wine of the Holy Communion that the two may be identified. They are at the same time body and blood, bread and wine. ...In this sacrament the Lutheran Christian receives

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5334-417: The Eucharist as substantial, that is, involving the underlying substance, not the appearances of bread and wine. These maintain all their physical properties as before: unlike what happens when the appearance of something or somebody is altered but the basic reality remains the same, it is the teaching of the Catholic Church that in the Eucharist the appearance is quite unchanged, but the basic reality has become

5461-478: The Eucharist from a seraph . At one time, she saw a dazzling seraph dressed in a gold robe, with a transparent surplice and stole , holding a crystal chalice covered in a transparent veil, which he gave Faustina to drink. At another time, when she was doubting, Jesus and a seraph appeared before her. She asked Jesus, but when he did not reply, she asked the seraph if he could hear her confession. The seraph replied, "no spirit in heaven has that power" and administered

5588-461: The Eucharist from an angel. The angel, "whiter than snow, ... quite transparent, and as brilliant as crystal in the rays of the sun," proffered the Eucharist host and chalice to the Holy Trinity in reparation for the sins committed against Jesus Christ , then administered the Eucharist to the visionaries and instructed them to make acts of reparation . Another example is Saint Faustina receiving

5715-447: The Eucharist to her. The rarest reported types of Eucharistic miracle is where the Eucharist becomes human flesh as in the miracle of Lanciano which some believe occurred at Lanciano , Italy , in the 8th century, or the Eucharist becomes human blood as in the miracle of Santarém which some believe occurred at Santarém, Portugal , in the 13th century. The Catholic Church officially recognized both miracles as authentic. However,

5842-465: The Eucharistic and the historical body of the Lord without more precisely explaining the Eucharistic species, his teaching could and probably did promote a grossly materialistic 'Capharnaitic' interpretation". The question of the nature of the Eucharist became virulent for a second time in the Western Church in the 11th century, when Berengar of Tours denied that any material change in the elements

5969-581: The Holy Communion is received, not only the Spirit, but also the true body and blood of Jesus Christ are received through the Spirit, but these are only received by those partakers who eat worthily (i.e., repentantly) with faith. The Holy Spirit unites the Christian with Jesus though they are separated by a great distance. See, e.g., Westminster Confession of Faith, ch. 29 ; Belgic Confession, Article 35 . The Congregationalist theologian Alfred Ernest Garvie explicated

6096-619: The Lord Jesus Christ to be present, not typically, nor figuratively, nor by superabundant grace, as in the other Mysteries, ... 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 Mary, was baptised in the Jordan, suffered,

6223-579: The Orthodox Communion." Similarly, Coptic Orthodox Christians , a denomination of Oriental Orthodox Christianity, "are fearful of using philosophical terms concerning the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, preferring uncritical appeals to biblical passages like 1 Cor. 10.16; 11.23–29 or the discourse in John 6.26–58." While the Roman Catholic Church believes that the change "takes place at

6350-460: The Reformed agree with Roman Catholics that Christ is really present in the Eucharist, they do not accept the definition of transubstantiation to describe it. According to Thomas Aquinas, in the case of extraordinary Eucharistic Miracles in which the appearance of the accidents are altered, this further alteration is not considered to be transubstantiation, but is a subsequent miracle that takes place for

6477-620: The Roman Christians, says: "I desire the bread of God, the heavenly bread, the bread of life, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who became afterwards of the seed of David and Abraham ; and I desire the drink of God, namely his blood, which is incorruptible love and eternal life." Writing to the Christians of Smyrna in the same year, he warned them to "stand aloof from such heretics", because, among other reasons, "they abstain from

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6604-587: The Supper, only after an Heavenly and spiritual manner. And the mean whereby the Body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper is Faith. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up or worshipped. The Council of Trent , held 1545–1563 in reaction to the Protestant Reformation and initiating the Catholic Counter-Reformation , promulgated

6731-458: The Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of his word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh." In about AD 200, Tertullian wrote: "Having taken the bread and given it to his disciples, He made it his own body, by saying, This

6858-537: The actin filament anchoring fascia adherens junctions , the intermediate filament anchoring desmosomes , and gap junctions . They allow action potentials to spread between cardiac cells by permitting the passage of ions between cells, producing depolarization of the heart muscle. The three types of junction act together as a single area composita . Under light microscopy , intercalated discs appear as thin, typically dark-staining lines dividing adjacent cardiac muscle cells. The intercalated discs run perpendicular to

6985-452: The analysis by two University of Dallas biology professors who concluded it was naturally explicable, as Bishop Charles Victor Grahmann wrote that "… the object is a combination of fungal mycelia and bacterial colonies that have been incubated within the aquatic environment of the glass during the four-week period in which it was stored in the open air." In contrast, with regards to the Eucharistic miracle at Sokółka in 2008, "The results of

7112-476: The belief that the reliquæ (what remains of the consecrated elements after all have communed in the worship service) are still sacramentally united to the Body and Blood of Christ. This interpretation is not universal among Lutherans. The consecrated elements are treated with reverence; and, in some Lutheran churches, are reserved as in Orthodox , Catholic , and Anglican practice. The external Eucharistic adoration

7239-416: The bishop give the oblation, saying, The body of Christ ; and let him that receiveth say, Amen. And let the deacon take the cup; and when he gives it, say, The blood of Christ , the cup of life; and let him that drinketh say, Amen." Ambrose of Milan (died 397) wrote: Perhaps you will say, "I see something else, how is it that you assert that I receive the Body of Christ?" ... Let us prove that this

7366-507: The blockage is not relieved promptly by medication , percutaneous coronary intervention , or surgery , then a heart muscle region may become permanently scarred and damaged. Specific cardiomyopathies include: increased left ventricular mass ( hypertrophic cardiomyopathy ), abnormally large ( dilated cardiomyopathy ), or abnormally stiff ( restrictive cardiomyopathy ). Some of these conditions are caused by genetic mutations and can be inherited. Heart muscle can also become damaged despite

7493-553: The body and blood of Christ are "truly and substantially present in, with and under the forms" of the consecrated bread and wine (the elements), so that communicants orally eat and drink the holy body and blood of Christ Himself as well as the bread and wine (cf. Augsburg Confession , Article 10) in this Sacrament . The Lutheran doctrine of the real presence is more accurately and formally known as "the Sacramental Union ." It has been inaccurately called " consubstantiation ",

7620-472: The body and blood of Christ hidden under the veil of the signs, the faithful receive the body of Christ not in veritate , but in figura, in mysterio, in virtute (figure, mystery, power). Ratramnus opposed Capharnaitic tendencies but in no way betrayed a symbolist understanding such as that of 11th-century Berengarius. Radbertus, on the other hand, developed the realism of the Gallican and Roman liturgy and

7747-414: The body and blood of Christ. The change from bread and wine to a presence of Christ that is true, real, and substantial is called transubstantiation . The Catholic Church does not consider the term "transubstantiation" an explanation of the change: it declares that the change by which the signs of bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ occurs "in a way surpassing understanding". One hymn of

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7874-414: The body of Christ in mystery or in truth and whether the body is the same that was born of Mary and suffered on the cross. Ratramnus understood "in truth" to mean simply "what is perceptible to the senses", "plain unvarnished reality" ( rei manifestae demonstratio ), and declared that the consecration leaves the bread and wine unchanged in their outward appearance and thus, insofar as these are signs of

8001-458: The bread consecrated in the Eucharist actually "becomes" (in Latin, fit ) the Body of Christ: "The faithful know what I'm talking about; they know Christ in the breaking of bread. It isn't every loaf of bread, you see, but the one receiving Christ's blessing, that becomes the body of Christ." In the 9th century, Charles the Bald posed two unclearly formulated questions: whether the faithful receive

8128-482: The building up of faith. Nor does the extraordinary manifestation alter or heighten the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, as the miracle does not manifest the physical presence of Christ: "in apparitions of this sort ... the proper species [actual flesh and blood] of Christ is not seen, but a species formed miraculously either in the eyes of the viewers, or in the sacramental dimensions themselves." Some denominations, especially Lutherans, have similar beliefs regarding

8255-402: The bulk of the heart. The heart wall is a three-layered structure with a thick layer of myocardium sandwiched between the inner endocardium and the outer epicardium (also known as the visceral pericardium). The inner endocardium lines the cardiac chambers, covers the cardiac valves , and joins with the endothelium that lines the blood vessels that connect to the heart. On the outer aspect of

8382-446: The celebration of the Eucharist, by means of the consecratory Eucharistic Prayer , the actual substance of the bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Christ. This change in substance is not, however, the outward appearances of the bread and wine—their accidents —which remain as before. This substantial change is called transubstantiation , a term reserved to describe the change itself. Scholastic philosophical terminology

8509-417: The cell surface to the cell's core, and helping to regulate the concentration of calcium within the cell in a process known as excitation-contraction coupling . They are also involved in mechano-electric feedback, as evident from cell contraction induced T-tubular content exchange (advection-assisted diffusion), which was confirmed by confocal and 3D electron tomography observations. The cardiac syncytium

8636-441: The centre of the cell they join, running into and along the cell as a transverse-axial network. Inside the cell they lie close to the cell's internal calcium store, the sarcoplasmic reticulum . Here, a single tubule pairs with part of the sarcoplasmic reticulum called a terminal cisterna in a combination known as a diad . The functions of T-tubules include rapidly transmitting electrical impulses known as action potentials from

8763-552: The change that occurs in the elements during the Divine Liturgy: While the Orthodox Church has often employed the term transubstantiation , Kallistos Ware claims the term "enjoys no unique or decisive authority" in the Orthodox Church. Nor does its use in the Orthodox Church "commit theologians to the acceptance of Aristotelian philosophical concepts". ...Ware also notes that while the Orthodox have always "insisted on

8890-478: The concentration of calcium within the cytosol. The cardiac cycle is the performance of the human heart from the beginning of one heartbeat to the beginning of the next. It consists of two periods: one during which the heart muscle relaxes and refills with blood, called diastole , following a period of robust contraction and pumping of blood, dubbed systole . After emptying, the heart immediately relaxes and expands to receive another influx of blood returning from

9017-690: The concentration of calcium within the cell falls, troponin and tropomyosin once again cover the binding sites on actin, causing the cell to relax. It was commonly believed that cardiac muscle cells could not be regenerated. However, this was contradicted by a report published in 2009. Olaf Bergmann and his colleagues at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm tested samples of heart muscle from people born before 1955 who had very little cardiac muscle around their heart, many showing with disabilities from this abnormality. By using DNA samples from many hearts,

9144-424: The consecrated elements are to be delivered quickly, preserving the connection between the communion of the ill person and that of the congregation gathered in public Divine Service . Lutherans use the terms "in, with and under the forms of consecrated bread and wine" and "Sacramental Union" to distinguish their understanding of the Eucharist from those of the Reformed and other traditions. Nicolaus Zinzendorf ,

9271-426: The consecration it has another name, after it is called Blood. And you say, Amen, that is, It is true. Let the heart within confess what the mouth utters, let the soul feel what the voice speaks. Other fourth-century Christian writers say that in the Eucharist there occurs a "change", "transelementation", "transformation", "transposing", "alteration" of the bread into the body of Christ. Augustine declares that

9398-438: The contracting cells that allow the heart to pump. Each cardiomyocyte needs to contract in coordination with its neighboring cells - known as a functional syncytium - working to efficiently pump blood from the heart, and if this coordination breaks down then – despite individual cells contracting – the heart may not pump at all, such as may occur during abnormal heart rhythms such as ventricular fibrillation . Viewed through

9525-606: The direction of muscle fibers. Under electron microscopy, an intercalated disc's path appears more complex. At low magnification, this may appear as a convoluted electron dense structure overlying the location of the obscured Z-line. At high magnification, the intercalated disc's path appears even more convoluted, with both longitudinal and transverse areas appearing in longitudinal section. Cardiac fibroblasts are vital supporting cells within cardiac muscle. They are unable to provide forceful contractions like cardiomyocytes , but instead are largely responsible for creating and maintaining

9652-400: The edges of the injured area together. Fibroblasts are smaller but more numerous than cardiomyocytes, and several fibroblasts can be attached to a cardiomyocyte at once. When attached to a cardiomyocyte they can influence the electrical currents passing across the muscle cell's surface membrane, and in the context are referred to as being electrically coupled, as originally shown in vitro in

9779-480: The elements," although they have "never attempted to explain the manner of the change," thus rejecting philosophical terms to describe it. The Methodist Church similarly holds that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist "through the elements of bread and wine," but maintains that how He is present is a Holy Mystery. All Anglicans affirm the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, though Evangelical Anglicans (as with other Reformed Christians ) believe that this

9906-500: The energy needed for the cell in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), making them highly resistant to fatigue. T-tubules are microscopic tubes that run from the cell surface to deep within the cell. They are continuous with the cell membrane, are composed of the same phospholipid bilayer , and are open at the cell surface to the extracellular fluid that surrounds the cell. T-tubules in cardiac muscle are bigger and wider than those in skeletal muscle , but fewer in number. In

10033-573: The exact time in which the change takes place, and this is left to mystery." The words of the Coptic liturgy are representative of the faith of Oriental Orthodoxy : "I believe, I believe, I believe and profess to the last breath that this is the body and the blood of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ, which he took from our Lady, the holy and immaculate Virgin Mary, the Mother of God." The Eastern Orthodox Church 's Synod of Jerusalem declared: "We believe

10160-490: The extracellular matrix which surrounds the cardiomyocytes. Fibroblasts play a crucial role in responding to injury, such as a myocardial infarction . Following injury, fibroblasts can become activated and turn into myofibroblasts – cells which exhibit behaviour somewhere between a fibroblast (generating extracellular matrix) and a smooth muscle cell (ability to contract). In this capacity, fibroblasts can repair an injury by creating collagen while gently contracting to pull

10287-503: The famed Catholic Stigmatic from Bavaria subsisted on no solid food but the Holy Eucharist from 1926 until her death in 1962 some 36 years later. In a biography written about her she stated that numerous times she attempted to eat other things only to have them regurgitate immediately upon attempting to swallow them. Some saints reportedly received Holy Communion from angels. One example is the visionaries of Our Lady of Fatima receiving

10414-427: The fire. The man threw up, and the family did what the priest had advised them to do. The next morning, one of the women went to rake the fire and noticed the Host sitting on the grate, unscathed and surrounded by a light. It had apparently passed into both the man's digestive system and the fire unscathed. The story is commemorated with an annual silent procession through central Amsterdam. According to another story,

10541-433: The formation of atherosclerotic plaques . If these narrowings become severe enough to partially restrict blood flow, the syndrome of angina pectoris may occur. This typically causes chest pain during exertion that is relieved by rest. If a coronary artery suddenly becomes very narrowed or completely blocked, interrupting or severely reducing blood flow through the vessel, a myocardial infarction or heart attack occurs. If

10668-444: The heart grows larger during childhood development. Evidence suggests that cardiomyocytes are slowly turned over during aging, but less than 50% of the cardiomyocytes present at birth are replaced during a normal life span. The growth of individual cardiomyocytes not only occurs during normal heart development, it also occurs in response to extensive exercise ( athletic heart syndrome ), heart disease, or heart muscle injury such as after

10795-446: The heart of the believer more nearly than food swallowed with the mouth can enter in. This view holds that the elements may be disposed of without ceremony, as they are not changed in an objective physical sense and, as such, the meal directs attention toward Christ's "bodily" resurrection and return. Actual practices of disposing of leftover elements vary widely. The Reformed doctrine of Holy Communion (The Lord's Supper, The Eucharist)

10922-422: The heart so much that the pumping function of the heart is reduced. If the heart is no longer able to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs, this is described as heart failure . Significant damage to cardiac muscle cells is referred to as myocytolysis which is considered a type of cellular necrosis defined as either coagulative or colliquative. Real Presence The real presence of Christ in

11049-441: The impulses that are responsible for the beating of the heart. They are distributed throughout the heart and are responsible for several functions. First, they are responsible for being able to spontaneously generate and send out electrical impulses . They also must be able to receive and respond to electrical impulses from the brain. Lastly, they must be able to transfer electrical impulses from cell to cell. Pacemaker cells in

11176-447: The lungs and other systems of the body, before again contracting to pump blood to the lungs and those systems. A normally performing heart must be fully expanded before it can efficiently pump again. The rest phase is considered polarized. The resting potential during this phase of the beat separates the ions such as sodium, potassium, and calcium. Myocardial cells possess the property of automaticity or spontaneous depolarization . This

11303-436: The mechanism by which calcium concentrations within the cytosol rise differ between skeletal and cardiac muscle. In cardiac muscle, the action potential comprises an inward flow of both sodium and calcium ions. The flow of sodium ions is rapid but very short-lived, while the flow of calcium is sustained and gives the plateau phase characteristic of cardiac muscle action potentials. The comparatively small flow of calcium through

11430-423: The microscope undoubtedly belong to the human heart and look as if the sample had been taken from the heart of a living person in agony." Further details in the article were provided that affirmed the presence of heart muscle, negating a bacterial explanation: "Important evidence that the tested material is the muscle of the human heart was mainly the central arrangement of cell nuclei in the observed fibers, which

11557-478: The muscle cells, create elasticity in cardiac muscle, and keep the muscle cells hydrated by binding water molecules. The matrix in immediate contact with the muscle cells is referred to as the basement membrane , mainly composed of type IV collagen and laminin . Cardiomyocytes are linked to the basement membrane via specialised glycoproteins called integrins . Humans are born with a set number of heart muscle cells, or cardiomyocytes, which increase in size as

11684-531: The myocardium also differ between cardiac chambers. Ventricular cardiomyocytes are longer and wider, with a denser T-tubule network. Although the fundamental mechanisms of calcium handling are similar between ventricular and atrial cardiomyocytes, the calcium transient is smaller and decays more rapidly in atrial myocytes, with a corresponding increase in calcium buffering capacity. The complement of ion channels differs between chambers, leading to longer action potential durations and effective refractory periods in

11811-403: The myocardium is the epicardium which forms part of the pericardial sac that surrounds, protects, and lubricates the heart. Within the myocardium, there are several sheets of cardiac muscle cells or cardiomyocytes. The sheets of muscle that wrap around the left ventricle closest to the endocardium are oriented perpendicularly to those closest to the epicardium. When these sheets contract in

11938-505: The order of nature in the Body of Christ, seeing that the Lord Jesus Himself was born of a Virgin, not according to nature? It is the true Flesh of Christ which was crucified and buried, this is then truly the Sacrament of His Body. The Lord Jesus Himself proclaims: "This Is My Body." Before the blessing of the heavenly words another nature is spoken of, after the consecration the Body is signified . He Himself speaks of His Blood. Before

12065-402: The original studies were later retracted for scientific fraud. Cardiac muscle forms both the atria and the ventricles of the heart. Although this muscle tissue is very similar between cardiac chambers, some differences exist. The myocardium found in the ventricles is thick to allow forceful contractions, while the myocardium in the atria is much thinner. The individual myocytes that make up

12192-615: The other sacraments he is present by his power rather than by the reality of his body and blood, the basis of the description of his presence as "real". The Eastern Orthodox Churches and the Oriental Orthodox Churches , as well as the Churches of the East , believe that in the Eucharist the bread and wine are objectively changed and become in a real sense the Body and Blood of Christ . Orthodoxy rejects philosophical explanations of

12319-420: The presence as merely that of a sign or figure. By stating that his presence in the Eucharist is real, it defines it as objective and independent of the thoughts and feelings of the participants, whether they have faith or not: lack of faith may make reception of the sacrament fruitless for holiness, but it does not make his presence unreal. In the third place, the Catholic Church describes the presence of Christ in

12446-455: The presence of several witnesses. The phenomenon occurred in the home of Father Eric Jacqmin, a sedevacantist , formerly member of SSPX . Professor Liesbeth Jacxsens has offered to scientifically investigate the host and thinks the colour could be caused by Serratia marcescens , Monilia sitophila or Oidium . Two eucharistic miracles were reported in the 21st century in Kerala , India. One

12573-457: The priest came to believe. In 1264, Pope Urban IV instituted the Feast of Corpus Christi . There have been numerous other alleged miracles involving consecrated Hosts. Several of these are described below. A story from Amsterdam, 1345, claims that a priest was called to administer Viaticum to a dying man. He told the family that if the man threw up, they were to take the contents and throw it in

12700-687: The priest who bent to pick up the Host, having seen it from some distance off. It again flew up into the air, floated, and fell to the ground and disappeared. The bishop was informed and he came to the site and bent to pick up the Host. Again it flew into the air, remained suspended for an extended time, fell to the ground and disappeared. An alleged 1370 Brussels miracle involves an allegation of host desecration ; someone attempted to stab several Hosts, but they miraculously bled and were otherwise unharmed. The Hosts were venerated in later centuries. Caesarius of Heisterbach recounts various tales of Eucharistic miracles in his book Dialogue on Miracles ; most of

12827-421: The proteins actin , troponin and tropomyosin . As the thick and thin filaments slide past each other the cell becomes shorter and fatter. In a mechanism known as cross-bridge cycling , calcium ions bind to the protein troponin, which along with tropomyosin then uncover key binding sites on actin. Myosin, in the thick filament, can then bind to actin, pulling the thick filaments along the thin filaments. When

12954-576: The question at the Marburg Colloquy of 1529 but who failed to come to an agreement. Zwingli's view became associated with the term Memorialism , suggesting an understanding of the Eucharist held purely "in memory of" Christ. While this accurately describes the position of the Anabaptists and derived traditions, it is not the position held by Zwingli himself, who affirmed that Christ is truly (in substance), though not naturally (physically) present in

13081-458: The reality of Christ's body and blood do not come corporally (physically) to the elements, but that "the Spirit truly unites things separated in space" (Calvin). This view is known as the real spiritual presence, spiritual presence, or pneumatic presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper. Following a phrase of Saint Augustine , the Calvinist view is that "no one bears away from this Sacrament more than

13208-684: The researchers estimated that a 4-year-old renews about 20% of heart muscle cells per year, and about 69% of the heart muscle cells of a 50-year-old were generated after they were born. One way that cardiomyocyte regeneration occurs is through the division of pre-existing cardiomyocytes during the normal aging process. In the 2000s, the discovery of adult endogenous cardiac stem cells was reported, and studies were published that claimed that various stem cell lineages, including bone marrow stem cells were able to differentiate into cardiomyocytes, and could be used to treat heart failure . However, other teams were unable to replicate these findings, and many of

13335-635: The reverend sacrament of the altar). During the later medieval period, the question was debated within the Western Church. Following the Protestant Reformation , it became a central topic of division amongst the various emerging confessions. The Lutheran doctrine of the real presence, known as the " sacramental union ", was formulated in the Augsburg Confession of 1530. Luther decidedly supported this doctrine, publishing The Sacrament of

13462-446: The rhythm of the heart contractions. The pacemaker cells are only weakly contractile without sarcomeres, and are connected to neighboring contractile cells via gap junctions . They are located in the sinoatrial node (the primary pacemaker) positioned on the wall of the right atrium , near the entrance of the superior vena cava . Other pacemaker cells are found in the atrioventricular node (secondary pacemaker). Pacemaker cells carry

13589-480: The sacrament. The position of the Church of England on this matter (the real presence) is clear and highlighted in the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion : The supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the love that Christians ought to have among themselves; but rather is a Sacrament of our redemption by Christ's death: insomuch that to those who rightly and with faith, receive the same, the bread that we break

13716-426: The same length, resulting in heart wall thickening. The physiology of cardiac muscle shares many similarities with that of skeletal muscle . The primary function of both muscle types is to contract, and in both cases, a contraction begins with a characteristic flow of ions across the cell membrane known as an action potential . The cardiac action potential subsequently triggers muscle contraction by increasing

13843-517: The sinoatrial node, and atrioventricular node are smaller and conduct at a relatively slow rate between the cells. Specialized conductive cells in the bundle of His , and the Purkinje fibers are larger in diameter and conduct signals at a fast rate. The Purkinje fibers rapidly conduct electrical signals; coronary arteries to bring nutrients to the muscle cells, and veins and a capillary network to take away waste products. Cardiac muscle cells are

13970-429: The solution surrounding the cell to contract, while skeletal muscle fibers will contract without extracellular calcium. During contraction of a cardiac muscle cell, the long protein myofilaments oriented along the length of the cell slide over each other in what is known as the sliding filament theory . There are two kinds of myofilaments, thick filaments composed of the protein myosin , and thin filaments composed of

14097-421: The stories he tells are from word of mouth. They include Gotteschalk of Volmarstein who saw an infant in the Eucharist, a priest from Wickindisburg who saw the Host turn into raw flesh, and a man from Hemmenrode who saw an image of a crucified Jesus and blood dripping from the Host. All of these images, however, eventually reverted into the Host. Caesarius also recounts more extraordinary tales, such as bees creating

14224-592: The teachings of these Churches primarily concern "the mode of Christ's presence in the Lord's Supper". Efforts at mutual understanding of the range of beliefs by these Churches led in the 1980s to consultations on Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry by the World Council of Churches . The Real Presence is rejected or interpreted in light of "remembrance" (per certain translations of the New Testament) by other Christians, including General Baptists , Anabaptists ,

14351-498: The testing by Professor Maria Sobaniec-Łotowska  [ pl ] (from the Department of Medical Pathomorphology, Medical University of Białystok (UMB)) and by Professor Stanisław Sulkowski (from the Department of General Pathomorphology, UMB) are consistent and indicate the presence of human heart tissue with specific pathomorphological changes." The professors wrote in an academic article that "the tissue fragments observed under

14478-453: The ventricles. Certain ion currents such as I K(UR) are highly specific to atrial cardiomyocytes, making them a potential target for treatments for atrial fibrillation . Diseases affecting cardiac muscle, known as cardiomyopathies , are the leading cause of death in developed countries . The most common condition is coronary artery disease , in which the blood supply to the heart is reduced . The coronary arteries become narrowed by

14605-599: The very body and blood of Christ precisely for the strengthening of the union of faith." Lutherans hold that the miracle of the Eucharist is effected during the Words of Institution . Both the Eastern Orthodox Churches and the Oriental Orthodox Churches, such as the Coptic Church , insist "on the reality of the change from bread and wine into the body and the blood of Christ at the consecration of

14732-507: The view of the presence of Christ in the Eucharist as true, real, and substantial, and declared that, "by the consecration of the bread and of the wine, a conversion is made of the whole substance of the bread into the substance ( substantia ) of the body of Christ our Lord, and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood; which conversion is, by the holy Catholic Church, suitably and properly called Transubstantiation". The Scholastic , Aristotelian philosophy of substance

14859-410: The whole Christ, body and blood, soul and divinity; nor does it see the persisting outward appearances of bread and wine and their properties (such as weight and nutritional value) as a mere illusion, but objectively existing as before and unchanged. In the view of the Catholic Church, the presence of Christ in the Eucharist is of an order different from the presence of Christ in the other sacraments: in

14986-403: The whole substance of the wine into His blood, while only the species of bread and wine remain, a change which the Catholic Church has most fittingly called transubstantiation, let him be anathema ." (Session 13, can.2)". Protestant views on the fact of Christ's presence in the Eucharist vary significantly from one denomination to another: while many, such as Lutherans, Anglicans, Methodists and

15113-568: The wine of the Supper with expectant faith, we thereby have communion with the body and blood of our Lord and receive the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. In this sense, the bread and wine are rightly said to be Christ's body and blood which he gives to his disciples. Those in the Reformed tradition (inclusive of Continental Reformed , Presbyterian , Congregationalist , Reformed Anglican / Reformed Episcopal and Reformed Baptist churches), particularly those following John Calvin , hold that

15240-637: The words of institution or consecration", the Eastern Orthodox Church teaches that the "change takes place anywhere between the Proskomedia (the Liturgy of Preparation)" and "the Epiklesis ('calling down'), or invocation of the Holy Spirit 'upon us and upon these gifts here set forth ' ". Therefore, it teaches that "the gifts should be treated with reverence throughout the entirety of the service. We don't know

15367-537: Was approved by all the Greek-speaking Patriarchs (those of Constantinople , Alexandria , Antioch , and Jerusalem ) in 1643, and again by the 1672 Synod of Jerusalem (also referred to as the Council of Bethlehem). The Catholic Church declares that the presence of Christ in the Eucharist is true, real, and substantial. By saying Christ is truly present in the Eucharist, it excludes any understanding of

15494-625: Was at Chirattakonam in Kollam district , and the other was at Vilakkannur in Naduvil . In both cases, an image that resembles Jesus appeared on consecrated host. Carlo Acutis was an Italian Catholic youth and website designer, who is best known for documenting Eucharistic miracles around the world and cataloguing them onto a website which he created before his death from leukemia. The following list shows some of these miracles: Cardiac muscle Cardiac muscle (also called heart muscle or myocardium )

15621-493: 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." Lutherans believe in the real presence of the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist, that

15748-464: Was first articulated in the Wittenberg Concord of 1536 in the formula: Nihil habet rationem sacramenti extra usum a Christo institutum ("Nothing has the character of a sacrament apart from the use instituted by Christ"). Some Lutherans use this formula as their rationale for opposing in the church the reservation of the consecrated elements, private Masses, the practice of Corpus Christi , and

15875-526: Was needed to explain the Eucharistic presence. This caused a controversy which led to the explicit clarification of the Catholic doctrine of the Eucharist. In 1215, the Fourth Lateran Council used the word transubstantiated in its profession of faith, when speaking of the change that takes place in the Eucharist. It was only later in the 13th century that Aristotelian metaphysics was accepted and

16002-593: Was not included in the Council's definitive teaching, but rather the more general idea of "substance" that had predated Thomas Aquinas . Eastern Orthodoxy did not become involved in the dispute prior to the 17th century. It became virulent in 1629, when Cyril Lucaris denied the doctrine of transubstantiation, using the Greek translation metousiosis for the concept. To counter the teaching of Lucaris, Metropolitan Petro Mohyla of Kiev drew up in Latin an Orthodox Confession in defense of transubstantiation. This Confession

16129-540: Was used but is not a part of the dogma that defined Christ's presence for the Roman Catholic Church at the Council of Trent . In the 13th session of 11 October 1551, it promulgated the following conciliar decree: "if anyone says that the substance of bread and wine remains in the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist together with the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and denies that wonderful and extraordinary change of

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