Eucharistic adoration
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Eucharistic adoration is a Eucharistic devotional practice primarily in
Adoration is a sign of devotion to and worship of
When the exposition and adoration of the Eucharist is constant (twenty-four hours a day), it is called perpetual adoration. In a
Practice and context
Eucharistic adoration may be done both when the Eucharist is exposed for viewing and when it is not.[4] It may take place in the context of the liturgical rite of Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament or an informal "visit" to pray before the tabernacle. Writer Valerie Schmalz notes that:
During the first part of the twentieth century, it was common for Catholics, young and old, on their way home from work or school, en route to the grocery store or a sports practice, to "stop in for a visit" to the Blessed Sacrament in their local church. Most times the Eucharist was not exposed, but a red candle – then, as now – showed the Presence in the tabernacle.[5]
Since the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic church has made Eucharistic exposition and benediction a liturgical service in its own right and exercised more direction over its practice;[6] it draws its primary meaning from the Eucharistic celebration itself.[7] The vicariate apostolic of Kuwait describes the purpose of Eucharistic adoration as thus: "By worshiping the Eucharistic Jesus, we become what God wants us to be! Like a magnet, The Lord draws us to Himself and gently transforms us."[6]
At the beginning of the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, a priest or deacon removes the sacred host from the tabernacle and places it in the monstrance on the altar for adoration by the faithful. A monstrance is the vessel used to display the consecrated Eucharistic Host, during Eucharistic adoration or benediction.
The adoration may also take place when the Eucharist is not exposed but left in a ciborium, which is likewise placed on an altar or in an enclosed tabernacle so that the faithful may pray in its presence without the need for volunteers to be in constant attendance (as is required when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed).[8]
The "Instruction on Eucharistic Worship", issued by the Sacred Congregation of Rites on the Feast of Corpus Christi, 25 May 1967, reads in pertinent part, "The exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, for which either a monstrance or a ciborium may be used, stimulates the faithful to an awareness of the marvelous presence of Christ and is an invitation to spiritual communion with Him. It is therefore an excellent encouragement to offer Him that worship in spirit and truth which is His due."[9]
Speaking to a gathering in Phoenix Park, during a three-day visit to Ireland, from 29 September – 1 October 1979, Pope John Paul II said:
The visit to the Blessed Sacrament is a great treasure of the Catholic faith. It nourishes social love and gives us opportunities for adoration and thanksgiving, for reparation and supplication. Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Holy Hours, and Eucharistic processions are likewise precious element of your heritage – in full accord with the teaching of the Second Vatican Council.[10]
As to the manner in which Eucharistic adoration is conducted, the "Instructions" state: "Even brief exposition of the Blessed Sacrament [...] should be so arranged that before the blessing with the Blessed Sacrament reasonable time is provided for readings of the Word of God, hymns, prayers, and silent prayer, as circumstances permit."[11] While psalms, readings and music are part of the liturgical service, in common practice silent contemplation and reflection tend to predominate.[4]
Where Eucharistic adoration is done by an individual for an uninterrupted hour, this is known as a Holy Hour. The inspiration for the Holy Hour is Matthew 26:40,[12] when in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before his crucifixion, Jesus asks Peter: "So, could you not keep watch with me for one hour?".[13]
Some Christian denominations that do not subscribe to transubstantiation consider Eucharistic adoration unfounded and even bordering on idolatry.[14] However, according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, exposition "serves to deepen our hunger for Communion with Christ and the rest of the Church."[15]
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History
Early history
While the keeping of the Blessed Sacrament outside Mass seems to have been part of the Christian practice from the beginning to administer to the sick and dying (both Justin Martyr and Tertullian refer to it), the practice of adoration began somewhat later.[16]
One of the first possible references to reserving the Blessed Sacrament for adoration is found in the life of
In
Middle Ages
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The theological basis for the adoration was prepared in the 11th century by Pope Gregory VII, who was instrumental in affirming the tenet that Christ is present in the Blessed Host. In 1079, Gregory required of Berengar of Tours a confession of belief:
I believe in my heart and openly profess that the bread and wine that are placed on the altar are, through the mystery of the sacred prayer and the words of the Redeemer, substantially changed into the true and proper and lifegiving flesh and blood of Jesus Christ our Lord, and that after the consecration they are the true body of Christ[.]
— Mysterium Fidei, §52[20]
This profession of faith began a "Eucharistic Renaissance" in the churches of Europe.
In 1264
Beginning in the 14th century in the Western Church, devotions began to focus on the Eucharistic gifts as the objective presence of the risen Christ and the Host began to be elevated during the liturgy for the purpose of adoration, as well as to be seen by the congregation since the priest stood facing the same direction in front of the altar.[24][page needed]
16th–18th centuries
In the 16th century, the
The other sacraments do not have the power of sanctifying until someone makes use of them, but in the Eucharist the very Author of sanctity is present before the Sacrament is used. For before the apostles received the Eucharist from the hands of our Lord, He told them that it was His Body that He was giving them.[25]
The Council then declared Eucharistic adoration as a form of latria:
The only-begotten Son of God is to be adored in the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist with the worship of "latria", including external worship. The Sacrament, therefore, is to be honored with extraordinary festive celebrations (and) solemnly carried from place to place in processions according to the praiseworthy universal rite and custom of the holy Church. The Sacrament is to be publicly exposed for the people's adoration.[26]
Following the Council of Trent, figures such as Saints Charles Borromeo and Alain de Solminihac promoted Eucharistic devotion and adoration.[27] As part of the simplification of Church interiors, and to emphasize the importance of the Blessed Sacrament, Charles Borromeo initiated the practice of placing the tabernacle at a higher, central location behind the main altar. As Eucharistic adoration and Benediction became more widespread during the 17th century, the altar came to be seen as the "home of the Blessed Sacrament" where it would be adored.[28]
A common early practice of adoration known as
The practice of the perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament started in Naples in 1590 within the Order of the
In the 18th century, large numbers of people were drawn to quiet adoration of the Eucharist and priests such as Alphonsus Liguori encouraged the practice. He wrote a book entitled Visits to the Blessed Sacrament and explained that a visit to the Blessed Sacrament is the "practice of loving Jesus Christ", since friends who love each other visit regularly. Benedict Joseph Labre, a homeless beggar and Franciscan tertiary, was a familiar figure in the city of Rome and known as the "saint of the Forty Hours" (or Quarant' Ore) for his dedication to Eucharistic adoration.[citation needed]
19th and 20th centuries
The French Revolution hindered the practice of Eucharistic adoration; however, the beginning of the 19th century witnessed a strong emphasis on Eucharistic piety, devotions and adorations. By 1829, the efforts of the
The adoration of the Eucharist within France grew in this period, and there were interactions between Catholic figures who were enthusiastic about spreading the practice, e.g.,
Also in 1858, Eymard, known as the
By Decree of the Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship, dated 9 December 1995, Saint Peter Julian Eymard, Priest, was added to the General Roman Calendar with the rank of optional memorial:
Font and fullness of all evangelization and striking expression of the infinite love of our divine Redeemer for mankind, the Holy Eucharist clearly marked the life and pastoral activity of Peter Julian Eymard. He truly deserves to be called an outstanding apostle of the Eucharist. In fact, his mission in the Church consisted in promoting the centrality of the Eucharistic Mystery in the whole life of the Christian community.
The first informally organized
The practice of prolonged Eucharistic adoration also spread to the United States in the 19th century, and John Neumann, the Archbishop of Philadelphia, started the Forty Hours' Devotion there, where it continues to this day.[39]
Christian traditions
Catholics
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Catholic doctrine holds that at the moment of
The practice of adoration itself developed in a climate of Protestantism, and specifically the rejection of the doctrine of the real presence among certain groups. As such, some Catholic leaders began to institute the practice of adoration in order to inspire confidence among the faithful in Catholic Eucharistic doctrine. It became a staple of the Western Church thereafter.[39][43]
Faustina Kowalska stated that she was called to religious life while attending the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at age seven.[44] Notable examples of conversion are Elizabeth Ann Seton and John Henry Newman, both having converted from Anglicanism, and Hermann Cohen, OCD, from Judaism, following Eucharistic adoration. Cohen went on to help establish the widespread practice of nocturnal adoration.
The practice of a "daily
Since the Middle Ages the practice of Eucharistic adoration outside Mass has been encouraged by the popes.[46]
In the midst of the
In
From his early years, the Eucharist had a central place in the theology of
Eastern Catholics
Generally speaking, Eastern Catholics do not practice adoration, as the circumstances which brought about the practice in the Western Church were not acutely present in the East.[52]
Even so, Latinization, biritualism, and other factors have caused some Eastern Catholic parishes and communities to embrace the practice nevertheless.[53]
Prayers to the Blessed Sacrament
Catholic prayers to the Blessed Sacrament
One of the better known prayers of reparation to the Blessed Sacrament is attributed to the
O most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly. I offer You the Most Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences by which He is offended. By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg the conversion of sinners.[54]
A prayer devised by John Henry Newman for a short visit to the Blessed Sacrament reads:
I place myself in the presence of Him, in whose Incarnate Presence I am before I place myself there.
I adore You, O my Savior, present here as God and Man, in Soul and Body, in true Flesh and Blood.
I acknowledge and confess that I kneel before the Sacred Humanity, which was conceived in Mary's womb, and lay in Mary's bosom; which grew up to man's estate, and by the Sea of Galilee called the Twelve, wrought miracles, and spoke words of wisdom and peace; which in due season hung on the cross, lay in the tomb, rose from the dead, and now reigns in heaven.
I praise and bless, and give myself wholly to Him, Who is the true Bread of my soul, and my everlasting joy.[55]
Eucharistic celebrations of any nature are sometimes initiated with the first four or at least the first stanza of the hymn
Lutherans
In
Historically in Lutheranism there have been two parties regarding Eucharistic adoration:
Certain Lutheran parishes of Evangelical Catholic churchmanship practice Eucharistic adoration, along with observing the Feast of Corpus Christi.[60] The Augustana Evangelical Catholic Church is a Lutheran denomination in which Eucharistic adoration is widespread.[citation needed]
Anglicans
Early Anglicanism officially rejected Eucharistic adoration. Article XXVIII – Of the Lord's Supper in Anglicanism's
However, since the mid-19th century, the Oxford Movement has broadened Anglican opinions on the matter. An early 20th century bishop, the Right Reverend Edgar Gibson, Bishop of Gloucester, wrote of Article 28 that "The statement in the Article is worded with the utmost care, and with studied moderation. It cannot be said that any one of the practices is condemned or prohibited by it. It only amounts to this: that none of them can claim to be part of the original Divine institution."[61]
Today, opinions on the nature of the Eucharist and thus on the propriety of adoration and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament vary in the Anglican tradition (see
Eucharistic meditation
Apart from promoting the Eucharist,
Thérèse of Lisieux was devoted to Eucharistic meditation and on 26 February 1895 shortly before she died wrote from memory her poem "To Live by Love", which she had composed during Eucharistic meditation. During her life, the poem was sent to various religious communities and was included in a notebook of her poems.[66][67]
Significant portions of the writings of
In her book The Eucharist: true jewel of eucharistic spirituality,
Perpetual adoration
Perpetual adoration is the practice of the continuous exposition and adoration of the Eucharist, twenty-four hours a day. Similar to the "Perpetual Rosary" in which the rosary is recited uninterrupted by a changing group of people, this practice gained popularity among Western (or "Roman") Catholics in 19th-century France and has since spread to lay Catholics in parishes across the world.[71] A textbook was produced by a lay Catholic, Susan Taylor, with help from monks and clergy as a "how to set up Perpetual Adoration".[72]
During perpetual adoration, a specific person performs adoration for a period of one hour or more, so there is always at least one person who performs adoration during each day and night. However, during Mass the Blessed Sacrament is reposed and is then exposed again after Mass.[73]
Early traditions
Perpetual adoration of God by psalm and prayer has been a tradition among Christians since ancient times, e.g., in Eastern Christianity since the year 400 when the Acoemetae monks kept up a divine service day and night; and in Western Christianity the monks at the monastery of Agaunum performed perpetual prayers since its formation in 522 by King Sigismund.[74]
The first recorded instance of perpetual adoration formally began in
On 25 March 1654 Mother
Various Catholic societies and orders were formed for the specific purpose of perpetual adoration prior to the 19th century, e.g., the
By the beginning of the 19th century, in France as well as elsewhere in Europe, strong currents in favor of Eucharistic piety, devotions and adoration began to appear. Preachers such as
The 19th century thus witnessed a rapid growth in perpetual adoration societies, and some existing orders (e.g., the
The Poor Clares of the Monastery of Saint Mary of the Angels of Perpetual Adoration, in Drumshanbo, Ireland, first established perpetual adoration on 25 March 1870, and have continued the practice uninterrupted to this day.[78] The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration have been praying nonstop longer than anyone in the United States; the practice began on 1 August 1878, at 11 a.m. and officially ended on Ash Wednesday, February 26, 2020. At this point the perpetual prayer had been maintained without interruption for 141 years.[79]
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20th and 21st centuries
In the 20th century, the practice of perpetual adoration spread from monasteries and convents to Catholic parishes at large, and is now also performed by lay Catholics. The perpetual adoration chapel in
Early in the 20th century, questions arose as to the suitability of perpetual adoration by lay Catholics. However, after various discussions, on 2 June 1991 (feast of Corpus Christi), the Pontifical Council for the Laity issued specific guidelines that permit perpetual adoration in parishes. In order to establish a "perpetual adoration chapel" in a parish, the local priest must obtain permission from his bishop by submitting a request along with the required information for the local "perpetual adoration association", its officers, etc.[citation needed]
At the beginning of the 21st century, there were over 2,500 perpetual adoration chapels in Catholic parishes around the world. The United States (with about 70 million Catholics) had about 1,100 chapels, the Philippines (with about 80 million Catholics) 500, the Republic of Ireland (with about 4 million Catholics) about 150, South Korea (with about 4 million Catholics) had about 70.[80]
As of 2005[update], the
See also
- Fermentum
- First Thursdays Devotion
- "I Am": Eucharistic Meditations on the Gospel
- Showbread
- Seven Churches Visitation
References
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- ^ a b Dimock 2006, pp. 88–90.
- ^ "Schmalz, Valerie. "Eucharistic Adoration: Reviving An Ancient Tradition", Ignatius Insight, 3 October 2005". Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
- ^ a b "What is Eucharistic Adoration?". www.catholic-church.org. Archived from the original on 30 November 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
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- ^ Instruction on Eucharistic Worship, §60.
- ^ "Pope John Paul II Recalls and Encourages National Eucharistic Devotion"
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- ^ Matthew 26:40
- ^ Stravinskas 1998, p. 498.
- ^ Heads of Agreement on the Lord's Supper by John Calvin' Archived 28 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine;
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- ^ Hardon 1997, p. 3.
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- ^ Olson, Carl E. (7 March 2019). "The Light Of The Eastern Churches | Simply Catholic". Retrieved 23 March 2021.
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Corpus Christi is also celebrated in Old Catholic and some Lutheran churches, although in many parts of the Roman Catholic Church, including Ireland, it has now been moved from the Thursday after Trinity Sunday to the following Sunday.
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Works cited
- Dimock, Giles (2006). 101 questions and answers on the Eucharist. ISBN 978-0-8091-4365-8.
- ISBN 0-9648448-9-3.
- Pope Paul VI (3 September 1965). "Mysterium Fidei". Libreria Editrice Vaticana.
- Sacred Congregation of Rites. "Instruction on Eucharistic Worship". Archived from the original on 14 September 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
- Stravinskas, Peter (1998). Our Sunday Visitor's Catholic Encyclopedia. OSV Press. ISBN 978-0-87973-669-9.
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