Is it the Lord’s Supper, Eucharist or Holy Communion?
Each of these terms may be appropriately applied to the church’s ancient practice of sharing bread and wine. However, each term highlights a different facet of the meaning of the feast. The Lord’s Supper, particularly prominent in Presbyterian/Reformed tradition, emphasizes Christ’s institution of the sacrament, and connects the meal with its celebration on the Lord’s Day (Sunday). Eucharist, from a Greek word meaning “to give thanks,” emphasizes the essential nature of the sacrament as an offering of thanksgiving for the gift of God’s grace in Jesus Christ; this term tends to have more currency in ecumenical and Roman Catholic discussion. Holy Communion originally referred to a specific part of the eucharistic liturgy — the sharing of bread and wine — and a particular aspect of its theological meaning — the fellowship of the Body of Christ; over time and in some circles, however, this term has come to stand in for the sacrament as a whole.
