The Eucharistic Prayer is the center and summit of the whole Mass: the great prayer of thanksgiving and sanctification in which the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ. The priest prays it in the name of the whole Church, and the people join in with the Sanctus, the Mystery of Faith and the Great Amen. Below are its parts and what each one means, the four main Eucharistic Prayers and when each is used, the Mystery of Faith, and how to take part well.
What is the Eucharistic Prayer?
At the Last Supper Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to his disciples. The Eucharistic Prayer continues that thanksgiving: the word “Eucharist” comes from the Greek eucharistia, “thanksgiving.” The General Instruction of the Roman Missal calls it “the center and summit of the entire celebration” (GIRM 78). In it, the Church gives thanks to the Father, asks him to send the Holy Spirit, repeats Christ’s own words over the bread and wine, and offers the sacrifice of Christ for the living and the dead.
And taking bread, he gave thanks, and brake; and gave to them, saying: This is my body, which is given for you. Do this for a commemoration of me.
In like manner the chalice also, after he had supped, saying: This is the chalice, the new testament in my blood, which shall be shed for you.
The eight parts of the Eucharistic Prayer
- Thanksgiving (the Preface). After the dialogue “Lift up your hearts,” the priest gives thanks to the Father for the whole work of salvation or for a particular mystery of the day or season.
- Acclamation (the Sanctus). The whole assembly sings “Holy, Holy, Holy” with the angels. See Holy, Holy, Holy.
- Epiclesis. The priest extends his hands over the gifts and asks the Father to send the Holy Spirit to make them the Body and Blood of Christ.
- Institution narrative and consecration. The priest repeats the words and actions of Jesus at the Last Supper. By the power of the Holy Spirit and the words of Christ, the bread and wine become his Body and Blood. The priest shows the Host and the chalice to the people, and a bell may be rung.
- Anamnesis. “Remembrance”: the Church recalls Christ’s Passion, Resurrection and Ascension.
- Offering. The Church offers the spotless Victim to the Father in the Holy Spirit, and the faithful learn to offer themselves with him.
- Intercessions. The Church prays for the Pope, the bishop, the clergy and all the people, the living and the dead, in communion with Mary and all the saints.
- Final doxology and Great Amen. Holding up the Host and the chalice, the priest gives glory to the Father “through him, and with him, and in him,” and all answer “Amen.”
The four main Eucharistic Prayers
| Prayer | Origin and character | Often used |
|---|---|---|
| Eucharistic Prayer I (the Roman Canon) | The ancient prayer of the Roman Church, used for well over a thousand years, with its long lists of saints | Sundays and solemnities, especially feasts of saints named in it |
| Eucharistic Prayer II | Short and simple, inspired by an early third-century prayer in the Apostolic Tradition | Weekdays and special circumstances |
| Eucharistic Prayer III | Composed after Vatican II, rich in themes of sacrifice and the Church | Sundays and feasts |
| Eucharistic Prayer IV | Inspired by Eastern anaphoras, tells the whole history of salvation, with its own fixed Preface | Ordinary Time, especially when there is no proper Preface |
The Roman Missal also contains two Eucharistic Prayers for Reconciliation and a Eucharistic Prayer for Use in Masses for Various Needs. Before 1970, the Roman Canon was the only Eucharistic Prayer of the Roman Rite.
The Mystery of Faith
Right after the consecration the priest sings or says, “The mystery of faith” (Mysterium fidei). The people answer with an acclamation proclaiming the death and Resurrection of the Lord until he comes again. The Missal gives three acclamations to choose from. Their source is St. Paul’s teaching on the Eucharist:
For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread.
And giving thanks, broke, and said: Take ye, and eat: this is my body, which shall be delivered for you: this do for the commemoration of me.
In like manner also the chalice, after he had supped, saying: This chalice is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as often as you shall drink, for the commemoration of me.
For as often as you shall eat this bread, and drink the chalice, you shall shew the death of the Lord, until he come.
“The mystery of faith” is the Mass’s name for what has just happened on the altar: Christ’s sacrifice made present, which can only be seen with the eyes of faith. (It is different from the mysteries of the Rosary, which are events of the life of Jesus and Mary.)
The Great Amen
The Eucharistic Prayer ends with the final doxology, giving all glory to the Father through Christ in the Holy Spirit, and the people’s Amen. This “Great Amen” is the assembly’s yes to everything the priest has prayed in their name, and it is often sung solemnly.
When do we kneel?
In the United States the faithful kneel after the Sanctus until after the Great Amen, unless prevented by health, lack of space or another good reason. In many other countries people kneel only for the consecration. Some stand and bow deeply instead, following local custom.
How to pray the Eucharistic Prayer well
- Listen closely to the Preface: it tells you what the Church is thanking God for today.
- Unite yourself with the offering: at the elevation, look at the Host and say silently, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28).
- Bring your intentions to the intercessions, especially for the dead.
- Sing the acclamations with the whole assembly.
Frequently asked questions
Which Eucharistic Prayer is the oldest?
Eucharistic Prayer I, the Roman Canon, is the oldest prayer of the Roman Rite still in use. Eucharistic Prayer II is based on a prayer in the Apostolic Tradition, an early third-century text attributed to St. Hippolytus of Rome.
Who says the Eucharistic Prayer?
Only the priest, who prays it in the name of the whole people. The people take part by listening, by the acclamations and by uniting themselves to the offering.
What is the epiclesis?
The calling down of the Holy Spirit on the gifts of bread and wine (and in some prayers on the people), so that they become the Body and Blood of Christ.
What does “Mystery of faith” mean at Mass?
It is the priest’s invitation after the consecration. The people respond by proclaiming Christ’s death and Resurrection until he comes again.
More about the Mass
- The order of the Mass
- The Liturgy of the Eucharist
- Holy, Holy, Holy (the Sanctus)
- Lamb of God
- Who can receive Communion
- Corpus Christi
Texts and sources
- Scripture: Luke 22:19–20; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26, Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
- General Instruction of the Roman Missal 43, 78–79; Catechism of the Catholic Church 1352–1355.
- Descriptions of the prayers and acclamations were written for this page; the official texts of the Roman Missal are not reproduced.