ca. 70 A.D., Didache or Teaching of the Twelve Apostles
— Necessity of Baptism to receive —
9:1-5 In regard to the Eucharist — you shall give thanks thus: First, in regard to the cup: — We give you thanks, our Father, for the holy vine of David your son, which you have made known to us through Jesus your Son. Glory be to you forever. In regard to the broken bread: — We give you thanks our Father, for the life and knowledge which you have made known to us through Jesus your Son. Glory be to you forever. As this broken bread was scattered on the mountains, but brought together was made one, so gather your Church from the ends of the earth into your kingdom. For yours is the glory and the power through Jesus Christ forever. Let no one eat or drink of the Eucharist with you except those who have been baptized in the name of the Lord; for it was in reference to this that the Lord said: "Do not give that which is holy to dogs" (Matt. 7:6) ... .
10:3 You, almighty Master, have created all things for your name's sake, and have given food and drink to men for their employment, so that they might return thanks to you. Upon us, however, you have bestowed spiritual food and drink, and eternal life through your Servant. …
— Necessity of a pure conscience to receive; Eucharist as sacrifice —
14:1-3 On the Lord's Day of the Lord [i.e., Sunday] gather together, break bread and give thanks, after confessing your transgressions so that your sacrifice may be pure. Let no one who has a quarrel with his neighbor join you until he is reconciled, lest your sacrifice be defiled (Matt. 5:23-24). For this is that which was proclaimed by the Lord: "In every place and time let there be offered to Me a clean sacrifice. For I am a Great King," says the Lord, "and My name is wonderful among the gentiles" (Mal. 1:11, 14).
ca. 96 A.D., Pope Saint Clement, fourth Bishop of Rome, disciple of the Apostles Peter and Paul, Letter to the Corinthians
— Eucharist as sacrifice —
36:1 This is the way, beloved, in which we found our salvation, Jesus Christ, the High Priest of our offerings [i.e., the Eucharist], the defender and helper of our weakness. …
— Ministerial priesthood —
40:1-5 Since, therefore, these things are clear to us, and we have looked into the depths of the divine knowledge, we ought to do in proper order all those things which the Master has commanded us to perform at appointed times. He has commanded the offerings and services to be celebrated, and not carelessly nor in disorder, but at fixed times and hours. He has, moreover, by His supreme will, determined where and by whom He wants them to be carried out, so that all may be done in a holy manner, according to His good pleasure and acceptable to His will. Those, then, who make their offerings at the appointed times, are acceptable and blessed; for they follow the laws of the Master and do not sin. To the high priest, indeed, proper ministrations are allotted, to the priests a proper place is appointed, and upon the Levites their proper services are imposed. The layman is bound by the ordinances for the laity. …
41:2 Not everywhere, brethren, are the continual sacrifices offered, whether of petitions or in reparation for sins and trespasses, but only in Jerusalem; and even there, not in every place, but only in front of the inner temple on the altar of sacrifice; and the offering is first inspected for blemishes by the high priest and the ministers already mentioned. …
44:4-6 Our sin will not be small if we eject from the episcopate those who blamelessly and holily have offered its Sacrifices. Blessed are those presbyters who have already finished their course, and who have obtained a fruitful and perfect release; for they have now no fear that any shall transfer them from the place to which they are appointed. For we see that in spite of their good service you have removed some from the ministry in which they served without blame.
— ca. 100 A.D., Death of Saint John, the last of the Apostles —
ca. 107 A.D., Saint Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, disciple of the Apostle John, Letter to the Ephesians
— Ministerial priesthood—
13:1-2 Try to gather more frequently to celebrate God’s Eucharist and to praise him. For when you meet with frequency, Satan’s powers are overthrown and his destructiveness is undone by the unanimity of your faith. …
20:2 I will [write you a second letter] especially if the Lord shows me that you are all, every one of you, meeting together under the influence of the grace that we owe to the Name, in one faith and in union with Christ … . At these meetings you should heed the bishop and presbytery attentively, and break one loaf, which is the medicine of immortality, and the antidote which wards off death but yields continuous life in union with Jesus Christ.
ca. 107 A.D., Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Philadelphian
— Ministerial priesthood; necessity of a pure conscience to receive—
3:2-4:1 Those, indeed, who belong to God and to Jesus Christ—they are with the bishop. And those who repent and come to the unity of the Church—they too shall be of God, and will be living according to Jesus Christ. Do not err, my brethren: if anyone follow a schismatic, he will not inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9-10). If any man walk about with strange doctrine, he cannot lie down with the passion. Take care, then, to use one Eucharist, so that whatever you do, you do according to God: for there is one Flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one cup in the union of His Blood; one altar, as there is one bishop with the presbytery and my fellow servants, the deacons.
ca. 107 A.D., Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Smyrnaens
— Necessity of a pure conscience to receive —
6:2-7:2 Take note of those who hold heterodox opinions on the grace of Jesus Christ which has come to us, and see how contrary their opinions are to the mind of God. For love they have no care, nor for the widow, nor for the orphan, nor for the distressed, nor for those in prison or freed from prison, nor for the hungry and thirsty (cf. Mt. 25:35-36). They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they do not confess that the Eucharist is the Flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, Flesh which suffered for our sins and which the Father, in His goodness, raised up again. They who deny the gift of God (Jn. 4:10) are perishing in their disputes. It would be better for them to have love, so that they might rise again. It is right to shun such men, and not even to speak about them,—neither in public nor in private. …
—Ministerial priesthood; earliest extant use of the title "Catholic Church" —
8:1-2 You must follow the bishop as Jesus Christ follows the Father, and the presbytery as you would the Apostles. Reverence the deacons as you would the command of God. Let no one do anything of concern to the Church without the bishop. Let that be considered a valid Eucharist which is celebrated by the bishop, or by one whom he appoints. Wherever the bishop appears, let the people be there; just as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.
inter 148-155—Saint Justin the Martyr, First Apology
— Necessity of Baptism and a pure conscience to receive—
66 We call this food Eucharist; and no one else is permitted to partake of it, except one who believes our teaching to be true and who has been washed in the washing which is for the remission of sins and for regeneration, and is thereby living as Christ has enjoined. For not as common bread nor common drink do we receive these; but since Jesus Christ our Savior was made incarnate by the word of God and had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so too, as we have been taught, the food which has been made into the Eucharist by the Eucharistic prayer set down by Him, and by the change of which our blood and flesh is nourished, is both the flesh and blood of that incarnated Jesus.
— Ministerial priesthood—
The Apostles, in the Memoirs which they produced, which are called Gospels, have thus passed on that which was enjoined upon them: that Jesus took bread and, having given thanks, said, “Do this in remembrance of Me; this is My Body” (Luke 22:19). And in like manner, taking the cup, and having given thanks, He said, “This is My Blood” (Matt. 26:27-28, et al.). And He imparted this to them only. …
67 Afterwards we continually remind each other of these things. And those who have possessions come to the aid of all those who are poor; and we are always at one with each other. For everything that has been given to our use, we praise the Creator of all through His Son Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit. On the day which is dedicated to the sun [i.e., Sunday], all those who live in the cities or who dwell in the countryside gather in a common meeting, and for as long as there is time the Memoirs of the Apostles or the writings of the prophets are read. Then, when the reader has finished, the president [i.e., the one who presides at the Liturgy] verbally gives a warning and appeal for the imitation of these good examples.
— Ministerial priesthood —
Then we all rise together and offer prayers, and, as we said before, when our prayer is ended, bread is brought forward along with wine and water, and the president likewise gives thanks to the best of his ability, and the people call out their assent, saying the Amen. Then there is the distribution to each and the participation in the Eucharistic elements, which also are sent with the deacons to those who are absent. Those who are wealthy and who wish to do so, contribute whatever they themselves care to give; and the collection is placed with the president, who aids the orphans and the widows, and those who through sickness or any other cause are in need, and those who are imprisoned, and the strangers who are sojourning with us—and in short, he takes care of all who are in need.
The Day of the Sun [i.e., Sunday] is the day on which we all gather in a common meeting, because it is the first day, the day on which God, changing darkness and matter, created the world; and it is the day on which Jesus Christ our Savior rose from the dead. For He was crucified on the day before that of Kronos [i.e., Saturday]; and on the day after that of Kronos, which is the Day of the Sun, He appeared to His Apostles and disciples, and taught them these things which we have also submitted to you for your consideration.
ca. 155 A.D., Saint Justin the Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho the Jew
— Eucharist as Sacrifice —
41 [Justin:] “Also, sirs,” I said, “the offering of fine wheat flour which was prescribed to be offered on behalf of those cleansed of leprosy was a type of the Bread of the Eucharist, the celebration of which our Lord Jesus Christ prescribed in memory of the passion He suffered on behalf of those men who are cleansed in their souls of every evil. … Moreover, as I said before, concerning the sacrifices which you at that time offered, God speaks through Malachias, one of the twelve [lesser prophets], as follows: ‘I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord; and I will not accept your sacrifices from your hands; for from the rising of the sun until its setting, my name has been glorified among the gentiles; and in every place incense is offered in my name, and a clean offering: for great is my name among the gentiles, says the Lord; but you profane it’ (Mal. 1:10-12). It is of the sacrifices offered to Him in every place by us, the gentiles, that is, of the Bread of the Eucharist and likewise of the cup of the Eucharist, that He speaks at that time; and He says that we glorify His name, while you profane it."
ca. 185 A.D., Saint Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, disciple of Saint Polycarp of Smyrna, Against Heresies
4:17:5 Again, giving counsel to His disciples to offer to God the first-fruits from among His creatures, not as if He needed them, but so that they themselves might be neither unfruitful nor ungrateful, He took from among creation that which is bread, and gave thanks, saying, “This is My Body” (Mt. 26:26, et al.). The cup likewise, which is from among the creation to which we belong, He confessed to be His Blood.
— Eucharist as Sacrifice —
He taught the new sacrifice of the New Covenant, of which Malachias, one of the twelve prophets, had signified beforehand: “‘You do not do My will,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will not accept a sacrifice at your hands. For from the rising of the sun to its setting My name is glorified among the gentiles, and in every place incense is offered to My name, and a pure sacrifice; for great is My name among the gentiles,’ says the Lord Almighty” (Mal. 1:11). By these words He makes it plain that the former people will cease to make offerings to God; but that in every place sacrifice will be offered to Him, and indeed, a pure one; for His name is glorified among the Gentiles. …
4:18:2 Sacrifice as such has not been reprobated. There were sacrifices then, sacrifices among the people; and there are sacrifices now, sacrifices in the Church. Only the kind has been changed; for now the sacrifice is offered not by slaves but by free men. …
4:18:4-5 But what consistency is there in those who hold that the bread over which thanks have been given is the Body of their Lord, and the cup His Blood, if they do not acknowledge that He is the Son of the Creator of the world, that is, His Word, through whom the wood bears fruit, and the fountains gush forth, and the earth gives first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain on the ear? How can they say that the flesh which has been nourished by the Body of the Lord and by His Blood gives way to corruption and does not partake of life? Let them either change their opinion, or else stop offering the things mentioned.
For thanksgiving is consistent with our opinion; and the Eucharist confirms our opinion. For we offer to Him those things which are His, declaring in a fit manner the gift and the acceptance of flesh and spirit. For as the bread from the earth, receiving the invocation of God, is no longer common bread but the Eucharist, consisting of two elements, earthly and heavenly, so also our bodies when they receive the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible but have the hope of resurrection into eternity. …
5:2:2 They are vain in every respect, who despise the entire dispensation of God, and deny the salvation of the body and spurn its regeneration, saying that it is not capable of immortality. If the body be not saved, then, in fact, neither did the Lord redeem us with His Blood; and neither is the cup of the Eucharist the partaking of His Blood nor is the Bread which we break the partaking of His Body (1 Cor. 10:16). … As we are His members, so too are we nourished by means of created things, He Himself granting us the creation, causing His sun to rise and sending His rain as He wishes. He has declared the cup, a part of creation, to be His own Blood, from which He causes our blood to flow; and the bread, a part of creation, He has established as His own Body, from which He gives increase to our bodies.
5:2:3 When, therefore, the mixed cup and the baked bread receives the Word of God and becomes the Eucharist, the Body of Christ, and from these the substance of our flesh is increased and supported, how can they say that the flesh is not capable of receiving the gift of God, which is eternal life—flesh which is nourished by the Body and Blood of the Lord, and is in fact a member of Him?
In this regard the blessed Paul says in his Letter to the Ephesians: ‘Because we are members of His Body, from His flesh and His bones’ (Eph. 5:30). … In the same way that the wood of the vine planted in the ground bears fruit in due season; or as a grain of wheat, falling to the ground, decomposes and rises up in manifold increase through the Spirit of God who contains all things; and then, through the Wisdom of God, becomes the Eucharist, which is the Body and Blood of Christ; so also our bodies, nourished by it, and deposited in the earth and decomposing therein, shall rise up in due season, the Word of God favoring them with resurrection in the glory of God the Father.
ca. 203 A.D., Tertullian, Prayer
— Eucharist as Sacrifice —
19:1-4 In regard to days of fast, many do not think they should be present at the sacrificial prayers [i.e., the Mass], because their fast would be broken if the were to receive the Body of the Lord. Does the Eucharist, then, obviate a work devoted to God, or does it bind it more to God? Will not your fast be more solemn if, in addition, you have stood at God’s altar? The Body of the Lord having been received and reserved, each point is secured: both the participation in the sacrifice and the discharge of duty.
ca. 201 A.D., Saint Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor of the Children
1:6:41:3 When the loving and benevolent Father had rained down the Word, that Word then became the spiritual nourishment of those who have good sense. …
1:6:42:1, 3 Calling her children about her, [the Church] nourishes them with holy milk, that is with the Infant Word. … The Word is everything to a child: both the Father and Mother, both Instructor and Nurse. “Eat my Flesh,” He says, “and drink my Blood” (John 6:55). The Lord supplies us with these intimate nutriments. He delivers over His Flesh, and pours out His Blood; and nothing is lacking for the growth of His children. O incredible Mystery! …
2:2:19:4-20:1 The Blood of the Lord, indeed, is twofold. There is his corporeal Blood, by which we are redeemed from corruption; and His spiritual Blood, that with which we are anointed. That is to say, to drink the Blood of Jesus is to share in His immortality. The strength of the Word is the Spirit just as the blood is the strength of the body. Similarly, as wine is blended with water, so is the Spirit with man. The one, the Watered Wine, nourishes in faith, while the other, the Spirit, leads us on to immortality. The union of both, however, — of the drink and of the Word, — is called the Eucharist, a praiseworthy and excellent gift. Those who partake of it in faith are sanctified in body and in soul. By the will of the Father, the divine mixture, man, is mystically united to the Spirit and to the Word.
c. 210 A.D., Tertullian, The Resurrection of the Dead
8:3 The flesh feeds on the Body and Blood of Christ, so that the soul too may fatten on God. They cannot, then, be separated in their reward, when they are united in their works
211—Tertullian, The Crown
— Ministerial priesthood —
3:3-4 The Sacrament of the Eucharist, which the Lord commanded to be taken at meal times and by all, we take even before daybreak in congregation, but from the hand of none others except the presidents.
— Eucharist as Sacrifice; preservation of the Host —
We offer sacrifices for the dead on their birthday anniversaries. We regard it as unlawful to fast or to worship on our knees except on the Lord’s Day. … We take anxious care lest something of our Cup or Bread should fall upon the ground.
217 A.D., Saint Hippolytus of Rome, Bishop of Pontus, disciple of Irenaeus, Commentary on Proverbs
— Eucharist as Sacrifice —
“And she [i.e., Wisdom] hath furnished her table:” (Prov. 9:2) that denotes the promised knowledge of the Holy Trinity; it also refers to His honoured and undefiled body and blood, which day by day are administered and offered sacrificially at the spiritual divine table, as a memorial of that first and ever-memorable table of the spiritual divine supper.
ca. 217 A.D., Hippolytus, Discourse on the End of the World
— Eucharist as Sacrifice; ministerial priesthood —
41 Then He shall gather together all nations, as the holy Gospel so strikingly declares. … Come, ye hierarchs, who did me sacred service blamelessly day and night, and made the oblation of my honourable body and blood daily.
ca. 245—Origen, Homilies on Exodus
— Preservation of the Host; necessity of a pure conscience to receive—
13:3 I wish to admonish you with examples from your religion. You are accustomed to take part in the divine mysteries, so you know how, when you have received the Body of the Lord, you reverently exercise every care lest a particle of it fall, and lest anything of the consecrated gift perish. You account yourselves guilty, and rightly do you so believe, if any of it be lost through negligence. But if you observe such caution in keeping His Body, and properly so, how is it that you think neglecting the word of God a lesser crime than neglecting His Body?