At the sources of the Eucharistic renewal

This article by Christophe D'Aloisio focuses on the historical and theological foundations of eucharistic celebration in the early Church, as brought to light by the theologian Nicolas Afanassieff. The study adopts a simultaneously historical, theological, and spiritual approach, examining the conditions and significance of eucharistic practice in the first Christian centuries. The central idea is that original eucharistic communion is characterized by a radically communal dimension, irreducible to any form of religious individualism. The contribution of the article lies in highlighting Afanassieff's thought as a resource for rethinking contemporary eucharistic theology, recalling that participation in the Eucharist engages the entire ecclesial body, according to a logic of universality and gathering that is constitutive of the Church's identity.