WINE IN THE CATHOLIC

RITES OF HOLY MASS

Wine in the Catholic tradition

• The wine plays a special role in the liturgical rites of the Catholic Church, as well as the chalices used during the rites.

• This topic is introduced to our students in religious education classes

• Students involved in the project together with the catechist visited the Church of St. Nicholas, which is located in our town, and talked to the priest about this topic

• The chalice used in the Eucharist consists of a cup, a stem with a node and a base.

• The cup represents a Heavenly element. The wine poured into chalice symbolizes the blood of Christ, so it is usually made of gold, because only the gold is worthy to keep the blood of Christ.

• The node can be decorated with a gemstone (actually, there should be one). The gemstone symbolizes Christ himself, who carries two natures in one person: human nature, and divine nature.

• The base of the cup represents the Earth element of the Church.

• Unlike the liturgical rites of the Orthodox Church, where red wine is used exclusively and symbolizes the blood of Christ, in the liturgical rites of the Catholic Church white wine is mostly used, although red wine is not strictly forbidden.

• This is because the wine should not be identified as the Christ's blood, but it should keep the mystery of transformation of wine into the blood of Christ.

• The conversion of wine into the blood takes place in the chalice.

• During the Mass, the priest drinks the wine mixed with water, where wine symbolizes the divine element, and water the human element.

• The people who attend the Mass receive Holy Communion regularly only as bread (the Body of Christ), except in the context of the rites of Holy Thursday, when it is recommended that all the believers receive Communion under both opportunities, with bread and wine (the Body and the Blood of Christ).

• Also the believers can be communicant under both opportunities in some other cases, such as sacramental celebration of the First Communion or marriage, the liturgical celebrations in the smaller communities, etc.

• Each priest has the freedom to choose the wine which will be used in the liturgy. The wine used in the liturgy must be the Mass wine.

• The most significant producer of Mass wine in Croatia is Archdiocese in Đakovo.

• Mass wine must be derived from the high quality varieties of grapes. There is one grapes grower and wine producer in Međimurje who has a special permit from the Zagreb’s Diocese for Mass wine production.

• The history of Mass wines in Đakovo’s Archdiocese started on 1239 and during the centuries these wines achieved national fame. In 19th century, especially from 1864 to 1891 the wines from Đakovo’s Archdiocese gained international recognition through the exhibitions in Paris, Vienna, Trieste and Zagreb.

• Since 1773 there has been the Baroque chest closed by glass in our church of St. Nicholas. The chest contains waxed body in which there are relics of Saint Vincent Martyr.

• The St. Vincent’s day is the day of beginning of pruning vines in our area. St. Vincent is the patron of grapes growers, although people related St. Martin more with the notion of wine. For this, however, there are neither theological nor historical arguments, as there are for St. Vincent.