The Significant of Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi, which translates to “Body of Christ” from Latin, is a significant feast day in the Catholic Church, celebrated annually on the Thursday following Trinity Sunday. This year, it falls on June 3. The feast commemorates the institution of the Holy Eucharist, which is the body and blood of Jesus Christ, as well as his presence in the consecrated bread and wine during the Mass.

The origins of Corpus Christi date back to the 13th century and are closely associated with a series of mystical visions experienced by St. Juliana of Mont Cornillon, a Belgian nun. St. Juliana was a fervent devotee of the Holy Eucharist and had a series of visions in which she was instructed by Christ to work towards establishing a feast day specifically to celebrate the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.

In 1264, Pope Urban IV, who had been an archdeacon in Liège and was familiar with St. Juliana’s visions, instituted the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ as a universal feast for the Church. This was a significant moment in the history of the Church, as it marked the first time a feast was instituted for the specific purpose of celebrating the Eucharist.

The celebration of Corpus Christi is marked by a number of traditions, including Eucharistic processions, in which the consecrated host is carried through the streets in a monstrance. These processions are a public display of the Church’s belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

The feast of Corpus Christi is also associated with the work of St. Thomas Aquinas, who was commissioned by Pope Urban IV to compose the liturgy for the feast. Aquinas’ hymns, including “Pange Lingua” and “Tantum Ergo,” are still sung during Eucharistic celebrations today.

The feast of Corpus Christi is a testament to the Catholic Church’s belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, a belief that is central to the Church’s understanding of the sacrament of the Holy Communion. It is a time for Catholics to reflect on the mystery of the Eucharist and to renew their devotion to this central aspect of their faith.