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 EUCHARISTIO

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EUCHARISTIC

fishes, while baskets of bread are distributed at the sides. In one instance, however, the guests are omitted, and only a tripod with loaves and fishes and the baskets of bread are depicted. This fresco, which occupies a lunette of the Sacrament Chapel containing the symbol of the seven Disciples, Wilpert regards as a sort of compenilium of the two symbols of the Consecration and the Communion described above. In the third century a new mode of representing the favourite Eucharistic symbol was adopted in a num- ber of frescoes. This consisted in a scene showing Christ performing the miracle of multiplication by touching with a rod one of several baskets of bread placed before Ilim. In the loaves, also, incisions, sometimes made in the form of a cross, are seen. Paintings of this class were symbols of the Consecra- tion. One of them (chamber III in the catacomb of St. Domitilla) is of more than ordinary interest. Un- fortunately it has suffered serious injury at the hands of collectors. By the aid of a design made for Bosio, Wilpert has been able to reproduce the picture. It consists of three scenes. In the centre Christ is per- forming the miracle of multiplication with a rod. To the right of this He is again represented, His right hand raised in the oratorical gesture, while within the folds of His pallium five loaves marked with a cross are visible. Balancing this figure on the left is the Samaritan woman drawing water from the well of Jacob. According to the general principles under- lying early Christian art, some relationship was here intended between the three groups. Ordinarily the Samaritan woman was a symbol of the rcfrigerium (refreshment) petitioned for in the Memento for the Dead at ]\Iass. In the present instance Wilpert re- gards it as more probable tliat she is intended as a symbol of the soul in the enjoyment of eternal happi- ness; the Eucharist, like the fountain of water (John, iv, 14) "springing up into life everlasting", being a pledge of immortality. In the catacomb of St. Callis- tus there is a fourth painting of the miracle of the multiplication which conforms more closely to histori- cal narrative than the representations of an earlier date; Christ is here depicted with both hands held over the loaves and fishes presented to Him by two Apostles. It may be added that more than thirty frescoes of the miraculous multiplication still exist in the Roman catacombs. For an exact and reliable reproduction of them see Wilpert, "Le Pitture delle catacombe Romane", Rome, 1903.

III. — The Wedding at C.^na. — The custom intro- duced in the third century of representing the multi- plication of the loaves to the exclusion of the fishes is thought to have been indirectly instrumental in bringing about a new and beautiful symbol of the Eucharist in early Christian painting. Previous to this time only two frescoes contained any allusions to the Eucharistic wine: the chalice of the "Fractio Panis" and the red substance in the baskets of the crypt of Lucina. But the epitomizing of the multi- plication symbol by the omission of the fishes (leaving only bread, one of the two species required for the Eucharist) probably suggested the idea of a special symbol for the Eucharistic wine. No more appropri- ate symbol for this purpose was to be desired than the miracle of Cana (John, ii, 1-11), which was actually adopted. As Christ at the marriage feast changed water into wine, so on another occasion He changed wine into His blood. Quite apropos in this relation is a statement of St. Cyril of Jerusalem to the effect that, since the Lord " in Cana of Galilee changed water into wine, which is akin to blood", why should it be regarded as " incredible that He should have changed wine into blood?" (Cat., XXII, 2.) Two frescoes representing the miracle of Cana exist in the Roman catacomb of Sts. Peter and Marcellinus. The more ancient of these, which dates from the middle of the third century, represents four men and three women

partaking of a repast. Before the couch on which they are reclining is a table, while on the left a servant is carrying a dish to the person occupying the post of honour at the right extremity. The servant's hands are covered by a cloth. On the right Christ is seen touching with a rod one of sLx water pots that stand in front of Him. Taken as a whole, there can scarcely be any doubt that here we have a Eucharistic scene, with the symbol of wine substituted for the symbol of bread. The number of guests is the invariable num- ber in Eucharistic representations. The servant with veiled hantls is the bearer of some sacred object (else- where St. Peter receiving the Law from Christ has his hands similarly veiled). Finally, as in all other Eucharistic frescoes, the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion are brought into close relationship; on the right of the scene described is the fountain of Moses and on the left a representation of the adminis- tration of baptism. In the centre of the vault also a veiled orans is an allusion to the effects of Communion (a pledge of eternal life).

The second fresco of this subject belongs to the mid- dle of the fourth century. Here Christ is twice repre- sented, once multiplying the loaves, and a second time changing water into wine. A banquet scene, which has suffered serious injury, occupies the lunette; five of the seven participants can still be recognized as men. The discovery in lSb4 at Alexandria of an ancient Christian subterranean cemetery similar in some respects to the catacombs of Rome, brought to light a fresco in which two Eucharistic symbols of the first Christian age are reproduced in a new and striking manner. The picture occupies the frieze of the apse in a small cemeterial basilica and is, consequently, above the place formerly occupied by the altar. The stone bencli for the clergy in the sanctuary is still in place. Three scenes, separated by trees, are repre- sented. The central subject is the miraculous multi- plication; Christ, identified by the nimbus, is seated on a throne and is in the act of blessing loaves and fishes presented by St. Peter and St. Andrew (identi- fied by inscriptions). At his feet twelve baskets of bread are distributed symmetrically. To the right and left of this picture were two banquet scenes. The former is almost wholly destroyed, but a Greek in- scription gives a clue to the subject. This reads: " Those partaking of the etilogia of Christ ". Eulogia is the term used by St. Paul (I Cor., x, 16) in reference to the Eucharist: "the chalice of eulogia [benedic- tion] which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?" The application of this term, therefore, to the food set before the banqueters, points to the inference that here was depicted a Eucharistic scene in which the guests partook of the symbolic loaves and fishes. The scene on the right, we learn from inscriptions ("Jesus", "Mary", "Serv- ants"), represented the miracle of Cana. The author of this fresco, who was well acquainted with the sym- bolism of the first centuries, evidently reproduced (1) the favourite symbol of the Eucharist, i. e. the miraculous multiplication of the loaves and fishes, and (2) the later symbol of the Eucliaristic wine, in- spired by the miracle at the wedding feast.

Wilpert, Fractio Panis (Freiburg. 1895); Idem, Z-f pitlure dflle catacombe Romane (Freiburg im Br. and Rome, 1903), large folio, replaces for completenes.s and trustworthiness all previous similar works, e. g. De Rossi, Garrltcci, etc.; Wieland, Mt-nsa vnd Confessio (Munich, 1906); Kraus in Keal-Encyklopiidie. etc. (Freiburg. 1S82). 433-.51; Marucchi, Elements d'archfol. chrft. (Paris, 190.5). I, 291-307. also new edition (1908); North- coTK AND Brownlow, Romn Sotterranca (London, 1878). passim; I.owniE, Monuments of the Early Ch. (New York, 1901), non- Catholic.

Maurice M. Hassett.

Eucharistic Congresses are gatherings of eccle- siastics and laymen for the purpose of celelirating and glorifying the Holy Eucharist and of seeking the best means to spread its knowledge and love throughout