Hic est enim calix sanguinis mei, novi et æterni testamenti; mysterium fidei; qui pro vobis et pro multis effundetur in remissionem pecatorum.

These are the words of institution said over the chalice of wine in the Roman Catholic Tridentine mass. They are much longer than hoc est enim corpus meum, the corresponding words for the bread, and the translation is as follows:

For this is the cup of my blood, of the new and everlasting covenant; the mystery of faith; which shall be shed for you and for many, for the remission of sins.

As with the words for the bread, this text is not found in precisely this form anywhere in the Bible. It is a mixture of traditions, and draws on various sources. The phrase 'the mystery of faith' does not appear in connection with the Last Supper at all, but only in 1 Timothy 3:9. The word 'mystery' appears 22 times in the Bible - all in the New Testament. In the Anglican rite, the phrase 'Let us proclaim the mystery of faith' is only used (as it also is in the modern Catholic mass) to introduce the acclamations 'Christ has died; Christ has risen; Christ will come again'. The new missal of 1969, following Vatican II, adds a further clause, 'hoc facite in commemorationem meam' - 'do this in memory of me' - which is also found in the Anglican rite. The various scripture accounts of the Last Supper are as follows, in the Vulgate with my own translation. Matthew's version seems to be the only place where the word 'enim' - 'for' - crops up in all the scriptural accounts of the Last Supper:

  • Bibite ex hoc omnes; hic est enim sanguis meus novi testamenti qui pro multis effunditur in remissionem peccatorum - Matthew 26:27-28 - 'Drink this, all of you; for this is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins.'
  • Hic est sanguis meus novi testamenti qui pro multis effunditur - Mark 14:24 - 'This is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for many'
  • Accipite et dividite inter vos; Hic est calix novum testamentum in sanguine meo quod pro vobis funditur - Luke 22 17,20 - 'Take this and share it between you; This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is shed for you.'
  • Hic calix novum testamentum est in meo sanguine; hoc facite quotienscumque bibetis in meam commemorationem - 1 Corinthians 11:25 - 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood: Do this whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me'