Introduction

This chapter introduces the questions that inspired the research. In particular, the analysis will highlight the strength of the Eucharist from a cultural and anthropological standpoint, with specific reference to the context of Roman Catholicism. The origins of the “construction” of the Eucharist as a sacrament with a strong identity value are identified in the Tridentine age, as shown by many studies. In this regard, a state of the art is offered, illustrating how various scholars have adopted the sacraments not only the Eucharist as a means of investigating society’s dynamics and transformations. Finally, the methodology used (a cultural history perspective) is outlined, along with the geographical scenario referred to by the case studies (Italy as a laboratory for Roman Catholicism).