Which Church Fathers spoke about Christ mixing wine with water?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10

In the Coptic Orthodox tradition, the practice of mixing wine with a small amount of water in the chalice during the Divine Liturgy is a "straightforward" theological requirement. This act represents the union of the two natures of Christ—His Divinity and His Humanity—and commemorates the blood and water that flowed from His side on the Cross.

Several Church Fathers, particularly those of the Alexandrian and Early Church traditions, spoke extensively on this "mixture".

1. St. Cyril of Alexandria (24th Pope of Alexandria)

St. Cyril, the "Pillar of Faith," is the primary authority for the Coptic Church on this matter. In his defense of Miaphysite Christology (One Nature of God the Word Incarnate), he used the analogy of the mixture in the chalice to explain the union of Christ’s natures without mingling, confusion, or alteration.

In his writings, including On the Unity of Christ, St. Cyril emphasizes that just as the wine and water become one "mixture" in the cup, Christ is One Son and One Lord. He teaches:

• The wine represents His Divinity.
• The water represents His Humanity.
• The union of the two in the chalice is a type of the Incarnation.

2. St. Cyprian of Carthage (3rd Century)

St. Cyprian provided one of the most detailed early explanations for why we mix water with wine. In his Epistle 62, he corrected those who used only water or only wine, stating that the tradition comes from the Lord Himself:

"For because Christ bore us all... we see that in the water is understood the people, but in the wine is showed the blood of Christ. But when the water is mingled in the cup with wine, the people is made one with Christ... thus the cup of the Lord is not indeed water alone, nor wine alone, unless each be mingled with the other."

3. St. Clement of Alexandria

St. Clement, of the Catechetical School of Alexandria, also spoke of the mixture in a theological and pedagogical sense. He viewed the mixture as a symbol of the "Logos" (the Word) joining with human nature to grant us immortality. He noted that the "mixture of both—of the water and of the Word—is called the Eucharist."

4. St. Justin Martyr (2nd Century)

As one of the earliest witnesses to the Christian Liturgy, St. Justin Martyr described the Sunday gathering in his First Apology. He explicitly mentions that after the prayers, "bread and a cup of wine mixed with water are brought to the president of the brethren." This proves the practice was Apostolic and universal from the beginning.

5. St. Irenaeus of Lyons

St. Irenaeus, a defender against the Gnostics (heretics), argued that the "mixed cup" confirms the reality of Christ's physical body. He stated that if Christ were not truly human, the "mixture" of the cup would be a lie. By mixing the wine and water, the Church affirms the "Philanthropia" (love for mankind) of the Lover of Mankind who shed both blood and water for our salvation.

6. Origen of Alexandria

Origen speaks of the "mixed cup" in terms of judgment and mercy, but also references the "cup of the new testament" (1 Cor. 11:25). He views the blending as a "beneficial activity" that reflects how God interacts with humanity.

Liturgical Witness in the Coptic Church

In the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil, the priest adds a small amount of water (between 1/10th and 1/3rd of the volume) into the wine.

• The Moment of Transubstantiation: As noted by HG Bishop Mettaous, at the moment of the institution narrative, this mixture becomes the TRUE BLOOD OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
• The Response: The congregation responds: "Again I believe, Amen," proclaiming faith in the transubstantiation of the "mixture" into the "precious honoured Blood of Emmanuel our God."

Summary

The Church Fathers teach that the mixture is necessary because:

1. Biblical Truth: Blood and water flowed from His side (John 19:34).
2. Dogmatic Truth: It represents the union of Divinity and Humanity (St. Cyril).
3. Ecclesiological Truth: It represents the union of the Church (the people/water) with Christ (the wine/blood), as taught by St. Cyprian.

By chanting the Hymn of the 7 Tunes on Joyous Saturday, we celebrate the Lover of Mankind who offered this "Mixed Cup" to save us from our sins and bring us into eternal life.