Text and Rubrics of The Roman Canon - Consecration of The Wine

Consecration of The Wine

"Simili modo, postquam cenatum est, accipiens et hunc praeclarum calicem in sanctas ac venerabiles manus suas, item tibi gratias agens benedixit, deditque discipulis suis, dicens: Accipite et bibite ex eo omnes: hic est enim calix Sanguinis mei novi et aeterni testamenti, qui pro vobis et pro multis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum. Hoc facite in meam commemorationem" (In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took this precious chalice in his holy and venerable hands, and once more giving you thanks, he said the blessing, and gave the chalice to his disciples, saying: Take this, all of you, and drink from it: for this is the chalice of my Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.)

The Tridentine text varies from this in two points. One is the insertion of the words "mysterium fidei" (the mystery of faith) immediately after the word "testamenti". The other is that, in place of the final words, "Hoc facite in meam commemorationem", which Jesus used at the Last Supper (Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24-25), it has the words "Haec quotiescumque feceritis, in mei memoriam facietis" (As often as you do this, you will do it in my memory), a conflation of Jesus' words with a comment by Saint Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:26.

The words of the consecration of the wine come mainly from Matthew 26:16; "calix Sanguinis mei" is adapted from Luke and 1 Corinthians; "pro vobis" come from Luke, and "pro multis" from Matthew. The phrase "et aeterni" is found in no New Testament passage.

It has been suggested that the phrase "mysterium fidei" was originally a warning by the deacon to the people, but no evidence has been found to support this supposition. The priest now speaks the phrase after showing the chalice to the people and genuflecting. It serves as an introduction to a Memorial Acclamation by the people, which was never present in the Tridentine Missal.

The Missal gives three forms of this acclamation, the first two of which are closely based on 1 Corinthians 11:26, while making explicit the reference to the resurrection of Christ, which is only implicit in that text:

"Mortem tuam annuntiamus, Domine, et tuam resurrectionem confitemur, donec venias" (We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection, until you come again).

"Quotiescumque manducamus panem hunc et calicem bibimus, mortem tuam annuntiamus, Domine, donec venias" (When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again).

"Salvator mundi, salva nos, qui per crucem et resurrectionem tuam liberasti nos" (Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free).