The First Thousand Years: A Global History of Christianity

by Robert L. Wilken

By the second century the blessing of bread and wine had become part of a service that included readings from the Scriptures interspersed with psalms or canticles. The readings were followed by a homily or sermon in which the bishop explained and interpreted what had been read and applied it to the lives of the faithful. After the exposition of the reading, the congregation offered prayers for their needs and the needs of others and greeted each other with a kiss. Then bread and wine and water were brought forth. We are not certain as to why water was included, but the practice of adding water to the wine was widespread. In the third century a Christian bishop insisted that the practice went back to the apostles. The bishop took the bread and wine mixed with water and offered thanksgiving “to the Father of the universe through the name of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”