In many religions, wine plays an important and liturgical role in worship. Since time immemorial, it has been used as a sacrificial offering pleasing to God and as a medium to enter into mystical contact with God or the gods. Many peoples had their own wine gods, for example Bacchus among the Romans and Dionysus among the Greeks. There are also numerous references to wine in the Bible, some of which are extensive. A central point of faith in the Roman Catholic Church is the transformation of bread and wine into Christ's flesh and blood in the Eucharist. The preparation of mass wine has therefore been indispensable for the celebration of mass from the very beginning and a key motivation. Many monasteries have therefore dedicated themselves professionally to viticulture and winemaking. Numerous vineyards that still exist today have their origins in monasteries founded in the early Middle Ages.
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