The Feast of Corpus Christi Date: June 3
The Feast of Corpus Christi is a Western Catholic feast in many parts of the world.
According to the Bible, Jesus Christ was said to have given a “Last Supper” to his disciples before he was crucified. Eucharist is a Christian sacrament to commemorate this Last Supper. The sacrament is a rite in the religion of Christianity in which God is uniquely active.
Corpus Christi day is a moveable feast that is celebrated in honor of the Eucharist. No festivals may be celebrated on the Holy Week; hence, Corpus Christi is typically celebrated on the first Thursday after Trinity Sunday. In some countries, however, it’s celebrated on the first Sunday after Holy Trinity.
History of the Feast of Corpus Christi
This tradition of a feast in honor of the Holy Eucharist was started mainly due to the efforts of Juliana of Liège. She claimed that she had visions of Christ telling her that a feast should be celebrated in honor of the Holy Eucharist. She conveyed the same to bishops Hugh of St-Cher, Jacques Pantaléon, and Robert de Thorete. However, they were only successful in conducting this feast in their dioceses.
In 1264, Pope Urban IV gave a papal decree to celebrate this festival in the Roman Catholic Church. The pope however died soon after he gave the decree, and the decree wasn’t officially brought to all of the churches. It was only after pope Clement IV took matters into his hands and made the feast mandatory in 1311 did the festival become widespread.
The feast is known by another name, the “Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ”. The festival spread to the New World as well and was later adopted by the Church of England. The festival was dubbed as “The Day of Thanksgiving for the Institution of Holy Communion”. This festival is celebrated by orthodox churches also.
The Feast of Corpus Christi Traditions, Customs and Activities
The celebrations on this day usually involve a procession of the sacred host, the wafer that has been consecrated during the Mass. This is taken outdoors and displayed to the public. The host is kept on a monstrance and is protected from the sun by a canopy. This procession is taken across town, and people gather and pay their respects. This practice is usually carried out by the local church.
The late Pope John Paul II organized a procession from the Vatican to the people in the city of Rome. This set an example for churches all over the world to do similar processions. However, events and celebrations tend to differ from country to country, or even from church to church.
Other interesting posts:
- The Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul Celebrated Around the Globe
- Feast of the Immaculate Conception Celebrated by Christians
- Candlemas in Liechtenstein (The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord)
- Jewish People Around the World Celebrate Hanukkah
- Ascension Day Celebrated by Christians Around the World
Other interesting posts:
- The Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul Celebrated Around the Globe
- Feast of the Immaculate Conception Celebrated by Christians
- Candlemas in Liechtenstein (The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord)
- Jewish People Around the World Celebrate Hanukkah
- Ascension Day Celebrated by Christians Around the World
