What historical evidence exists for the celebration of the Eucharist in the early Christian community?
On speaking about the continuity of the celebration of the liturgy today with the most ancient forms, the Catechism holds up for examination the text of Saint Justin Martyr, who lived in the second century of the Christian era: “As early as the second century we have the witness of Saint Justin Martyr for the basic lines of the order of the Eucharistic celebration. They have stayed the same until our own day for all the great liturgical families” (1345). Today the order of Mass calls upon the priest who will preside and the community with whom he will celebrate to come together, especially and particularly on Sunday. This is the day that commemorates the resurrection of Christ and is therefore for Christians the Lord’s day, our holy day, the time to celebrate the memorial of his death and resurrection that Christ asked us to do in his memory. What is meant by the Liturgy of the Word in the celebration of the Eucharist? The liturgy is divided into two parts: the liturgy of the word and
