Faculty of Orthodox Theology, Babes-Bolyai University
Abstract
The following study is focused on the topic of liturgical wine according to the Holy Canons of the Orthodox Church. As we know, in the various liturgical acts of our Church wine is used, along with other elements as bread or oil. The most important use of the wine is in the Holy Eucharist, where wine becomes the Blood of Christ. This is the reason why the liturgical wine must correspond to the canonical prescriptions that inquire the use of a wine with a certain quality. We will emphasize the fact that the Canonical Tradition of the Orthodox Church prohibits the use of crafted wine, or of wine produced with other additives and preservatives. The wine must be fermented, clear and with alcohol, without being mixed with milk or grape juice. So, the purpose of this article is to clarify, based on the Holy Canons, which are the criteria that define a wine as being canonical or non-canonical for use in the Holy Eucharist
