Feast of Corpus Christi

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"Corpus Domini" redirects here. For other uses, see Corpus Domini (disambiguation).

Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist
DateThursday after Trinity Sunday; 60 days after Easter, or the Sunday immediately following this
2023 dateJune 8
2024 dateMay 30
2025 dateJune 19
2026 dateJune 4
FrequencyAnnual
Related to
Eucharistic Miracle in Bolsena
(1263)

The Feast of Corpus Christi (

Anglican churches. Two months earlier, the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper is observed on Maundy Thursday in a sombre atmosphere leading to Good Friday
. The liturgy on that day also commemorates Christ's washing of the disciples' feet, the institution of the priesthood, and the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.

The feast of Corpus Christi was proposed by

Orvieto, established the feast of Corpus Christi as a Solemnity and extended it to the whole Roman Catholic Church.[3][4]

The feast is liturgically celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday or, "where the Solemnity of The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ is not a holy day of obligation, it is assigned to the Sunday after the Most Holy Trinity as its proper day".[5]

At the end of

Basilica of Saint Mary Major, where it concludes with the aforementioned Benediction. Corpus Christi wreaths, which are made of flowers, are hung on the doors and windows of the Christian faithful, in addition to being erected in gardens and fields.[6]

The celebration of the feast was suppressed in

Reformation for theological reasons: outside Lutheranism, which maintained the confession of the Real Presence, many Protestants denied the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist other than as a merely symbolic or spiritual presence. Today, most Protestant denominations do not recognize the feast day,[7] with exception of certain Lutheran churches and the Church of England, the latter of which abolished it in 1548 as the English Reformation progressed, but later reintroduced it.[8]
Some Anglican churches now observe Corpus Christi, sometimes under the name Thanksgiving for Holy Communion.

History

A stained glass window in the Saint Mary Basilica in Tongeren

The institution of Corpus Christi as a feast in the

Blessed Sacrament.[9]

She always longed for a feast day outside of Lent in its honour. Her vita reports that this desire was enhanced by a vision of the church under the appearance of the full moon having one dark spot, which signified the absence of such a solemnity.[10][11] In 1208, she reported her first vision of Christ in which she was instructed to plead for the institution of the feast of Corpus Christi. The vision was repeated for the next 20 years but she kept it a secret. When she eventually relayed it to her confessor, he relayed it to the bishop.[12]

Juliana also petitioned the learned Dominican

bishops could order feasts in their dioceses, so Bishop Robert ordered in 1246 a celebration of Corpus Christi to be held in the diocese each year thereafter on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday.[13][14][15] The first such celebration occurred at St Martin's Church
in the city that same year.

Hugh of St-Cher travelled to Liège as Cardinal-Legate in 1251 and, finding that the feast was not being observed, reinstated it. In the following year, he established the feast for his whole jurisdiction (Germany, Dacia, Bohemia, and Moravia), to be celebrated on the Thursday after the Octave of Trinity (one week later than had been indicated for Liège), but with a certain elasticity, for he granted an indulgence for all who confessed their sins and attended church "on a date and in a place where [the feast] was celebrated".[16]

Jacques Pantaléon of Troyes was also won over to the cause of the Feast of Corpus Christi during his ministry as Archdeacon in Liège under the diocesan bishop

consecrated host at Bolsena,[15] has been called into question by scholars who note problems in the dating of the miracle, whose tradition begins in the 14th century, and the interests of Urban IV, a former Archdeacon in Liège.[citation needed
]

Though this was the first papally imposed universal feast for the Latin Church,[17] it was not widely celebrated for half a century. It was adopted by a number of dioceses in Germany and by the Cistercians, and in 1295 was celebrated in Venice.[18] It became a truly universal feast only after the bull of Urban IV was included in the collection of laws known as the Clementines, compiled under Pope Clement V, but promulgated only by his successor Pope John XXII in 1317.[18][19]

While the institution of the Eucharist is celebrated on

priesthood and the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. So many other functions took place on this day that the principal event was almost lost sight of. This is mentioned in the Bull Transiturus as the chief reason for the introduction of the new feast. Hence, the feast of Corpus Christi was established to create a feast focused solely on the Holy Eucharist.[10]

Three versions of the office for the feast of Corpus Christi in extant manuscripts provide evidence for the Liège origins and voice of Juliana in an original office, which was followed by two later versions of the office. A highly sophisticated and polished version can be found in BNF 1143, a musical manuscript devoted entirely to the feast, upon which there is wide scholarly agreement: the version in BNF 1143 is a revision of an earlier version found in Prague, Abbey of Strahov MS D.E.I. 7, and represents the work of

Pange Lingua or another eucharistic hymn, is also used on Maundy Thursday during the procession of the Blessed Sacrament to the altar of repose.[22]

The last two verses of Pange Lingua are also used as a separate hymn,

Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 11:23–29), and the Gospel reading was taken from the Gospel of John (John 6:56–59
).

monstrance of Toledo, Spain

When

octave until 1955, when Pope Pius XII suppressed all octaves, even in local calendars, except those of Christmas, Easter and Pentecost (see General Roman Calendar of Pope Pius XII
).

From 1849 until 1969, a separate Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ was assigned originally to the first Sunday in July, later to the first day of the month. This feast was removed from the General Roman Calendar in 1969, "because the Most Precious Blood of Christ the Redeemer is already venerated in the solemnities of the Passion, of Corpus Christi and of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and in the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. But the Mass of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ is placed among the votive Masses".[25]

Celebration

Roman Catholic Church

The feast of Corpus Christi is one of five occasions in the year on which a diocesan bishop is not to be away from his diocese unless for a grave and urgent reason.[26]

Procession in Ottersweier, Germany

In many countries, the day is a

Blessed Sacrament. During the procession, the consecrated host is displayed in a monstrance held aloft by a member of the clergy. At the end of the procession, Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament is imparted.[27]

Anglicanism

The celebration of Corpus Christi was abolished in England in 1548.

Festivals and with a special liturgy.[30]

The feast is also celebrated by

Anglo-Catholic parishes, even in provinces of the Anglican Communion that do not officially include it in their calendars. McCausland's Order of Divine Service, the most commonly used ordo in the Anglican Church of Canada, provides lections for the day.[citation needed
]

Other churches

Corpus Christi is also celebrated by the

Latinized Eastern Catholic Churches.[citation needed
]

Lutheranism

postils
 (homilies), he wrote

I am to no festival more hostile … than this one. Because it is the most shameful festival. At no festival are God and his Christ more blasphemed, than on this day, and particularly by the procession. For then people are treating the Blessed Sacrament with such ignominy that it becomes only play-acting and is just vain idolatry. With its cosmetics and false holiness it conflicts with Christ's order and establishment. Because He never commanded us to carry on like this. Therefore, beware of such worship![31]

However, the feast was retained in the calendars of the Lutheran Church until about 1600.[32]

Calvinism

Like

Reformed tradition do not observe the feast.[33]

Folk traditions

On the eve of the Feast of Corpus Christi, clergy bless Corpus Christi wreaths that are made of flowers.[6] Corpus Christi wreaths and bouquets are often "attached to flags and banners, to houses, and to the arches of green boughs that span the streets."[6] In Christian homes, these Corpus Christi wreaths are suspended on walls or displayed on doors and in windows.[6] Corpus Christi wreaths are also "put up in gardens, fields, and pastures, with a prayer for protection and blessing upon the growing harvest."[6]

Throughout Christendom, "the custom developed of carrying the Blessed Sacrament in a splendid procession through the town after the Mass on Corpus Christi Day."

church bells are rung and "the faithful kneel in front of their homes to adore the Eucharistic Lord."[6] Along the route in which the procession occurs, Christian homes "are decorated with little birch trees and green boughs", with candles being lit in the windows.[6] Oftentimes, stops are made at various points called "stations" during the procession and "the Blessed Sacrament is put on an altar table" while a Gospel passage is read and hymns are sung, along with prayer being made.[6]

Austria

Corpus Christi is not only a high festival of the Catholic church year in Austria, but also a public holiday. This is always celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity, which means it can take place between May 21 and June 24.[34]

Brazil and Portugal

Street carpets for the Feast of Corpus Christi (Tapetes de Corpus Christi) are made of different materials such as coffee grounds, flowers, sand, and salt.[35]

Croatia

In

Latin Corpo Sancto; used in Dubrovnik area and Pelješac),[42][43] Božji dan (Božji don; literally "Lord's Day") and Božji blagdan (lit. "Lord's/God's Feast").[41]

England

In medieval times in many parts of Europe, Corpus Christi was a time for the performance of mystery plays. The plays in York, England, were performed on Corpus Christi Day for some 200 years until their suppression in the sixteenth century during the Protestant Reformation.[44]

Peru

In the southern highlands of the

Quechua language as Qullqa, or "storehouse", as it is associated with the upcoming harvest and New Year. The festival precedes the official feast of Corpus Christi, held the Thursday following Trinity Sunday, but it is closely associated with it.[45]

Poland

Spycimierz, Poland

In

UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2021.[47]

Spain

In Spain, Corpus Christi is celebrated in all dioceses. It has special relevance in Castilla-La Mancha, a community that marks this date as a holiday.[48]

Andalucia

The celebrations in Seville are depicted in a section of Iberia, the masterpiece of the composer Albéniz.

Castile-La Mancha

Corpus Christi is one of the main festivals in Toledo, Spain.[citation needed]

Castile and León

In the village of Castrillo de Murcia near

El Colacho (baby jumping).[49]

Catalonia
Dancing egg, Barcelona
Patum de Berga

In Catalonia, Corpus Christi is celebrated with the tradition of the dancing egg. There is evidence this tradition dates from the 16th century.[50]

The Patum de Berga is a popular and traditional festival that is celebrated each year in the Catalan city of Berga (Barcelona) during Corpus Christi. It consists of a series of "dances" (balls) by townspeople dressed as mystical and symbolical figures. The balls are marked by their solemnity and their ample use of fire and pyrotechnics. It was declared a Traditional Festival of National Interest by the Generalitat de Catalunya in 1983, and as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2005.[51]

Date

Dates for Corpus Christi
2020–2028
In Gregorian dates
Year Thursday Sunday
2020 June 11 June 14
2021 June 3 June 6
2022 June 16 June 19
2023 June 8 June 11
2024 May 30 June 2
2025 June 19 June 22
2026 June 4 June 7
2027 May 27 May 30
2028 June 15 June 18

Corpus Christi is a moveable feast, celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday,[10] 60 days after Easter, or, in countries where it is not a holy day of obligation, on the following Sunday.[52]

The earliest possible Thursday celebration falls on May 21 (as in 1818 and 2285), the latest on June 24 (as in 1943 and 2038). The Sunday celebration of the feast, introduced in the second half of the 20th century, occurs three days later, between May 24 at earliest (for the first time in 2285) and June 27 at latest (for the first time in 2038). For Western Rite Orthodox Christians, since they use the Julian calendar, at least for all Feast Days dependent on the date of Pascha, their date of the celebration of Corpus Christi, translates to, in the Gregorian calendar, from June 3 at the earliest, to July 7, at the latest.

Corpus Christi is a public holiday in some

countries with a predominantly Catholic population including, among others, Argentina, Austria, Bolivia, parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Colombia, Croatia,[53] Dominican Republic, East Timor, Equatorial Guinea, parts of Germany, Grenada, Haiti, Jerusalem in Israel, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Saint Lucia, San Marino, Spain, parts of Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, parts of the United States (including parts of Puerto Rico), and Venezuela.[citation needed
]

See also

Literature

  • Dragić, Marko (2019). "Tijelovo u hrvatskoj katoličkoj crkveno-pučkoj kulturnoj baštini" [The Feast of Corpus Christi in Croatian Catholic Church-Folk Cultural Heritage]. Crkva U Svijetu. 54 (1): 59–81.
    S2CID 189152720
    .

References

  1. ^ "Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ". Catholic News Agency. Archived from the original on 21 June 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  2. ^ "The Eucharistic Miracle of Bolsena (Orvito, Italy)". therealpresence.org. Archived from the original on 11 January 2001. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  3. OCLC 1019855530. Archived
    from the original on 21 June 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  4. ^ "Italy's Orvieto miracle inspires thousands during jubilee". Rome. 7 October 2013. Archived from the original on 7 October 2013. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  5. ^ "Sanctissimi Corpus et Sanguis Christi." Roman Missal, 2011 Latin to English translation
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Weiser, Francis X. (1956). The Holyday Book. Harcourt, Brace and Company. p. 57.
  7. ^ "Corpus Christi, Feast of". Encyclopædia Britannica. 1974.
  8. ^ "Corpus Christi at Cyberbrethren". Redeemer Lutheran Church. 17 June 2006. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Benedict XVI. "St. Juliana: the Nun Who Gave Us the Feast of Corpus Christi", general audience address of Nov. 17, 2010, which he dedicated to St. Juliana". Zenit.org. 30 May 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  10. ^ a b c "Mershman, Francis. "Feast of Corpus Christi." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. 17 Jun. 2013". Newadvent.org. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  11. J.-P. Delville
    , Published by the Institute of Medieval Studies at the Catholic University at Louvain, pp. 120–123
  12. ISBN 1-57607-355-6
    p. 457
  13. ISBN 978-0-271-04831-4
    ), p. 9
  14. ^ The decree is preserved in Anton Joseph Binterim, Vorzüglichsten Denkwürdigkeiten der Christkatholischen Kirche (Mainz, 1825–41), together with parts of the first liturgy written for the occasion.
  15. ^ a b Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Corpus Christi, Feast of" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 7 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 193.
  16. ^ a b Walters (2006), p. 12
  17. ISBN 0-19-513886-4
    , p. 248
  18. ^
    ISBN 978-0-52143805-6
    ), pp. 181–182
  19. ^ Walters (2006), p. 13
  20. JSTOR 763576
    .
  21. ^ General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 375
  22. ^ Roman Missal, Mass of the Lord's Supper, 38
  23. ^ Calendarium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 1969), p. 66
  24. ISBN 978-88-209-2547-5
    ), pp. 399–401
  25. ^ Calendarium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 1969), p. 128
  26. ^ Code of Canon Law, canon 395 §3
  27. ^ "Katinas, Paula. "Brooklyn's Catholic churches celebrate Feast of Corpus Christi"". Brooklyneagle.com. 3 June 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  28. ISBN 978-0-8122-0080-5
    .
  29. ISBN 978-1-903153-35-2
    .
  30. ^ The Church of England: Festivals
  31. ^ Luther Martin: Auslegung von Joh 6. 1530, Kirchenpostille 1521, Tischreden
  32. ISBN 0-8006-2726-1
  33. ^ "Protestant Sacred Space". 4 April 2017.
  34. ^ "Fronleichnam". www.kalender12.at. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  35. ^ Fiéis montam 4 km de tapete em São Gonçalo
  36. ^ Dragić 2019, p. 64.
  37. ^ Lukić, Luka. "Varoš. Narodni život i običaji". Zbornik za narodni život i običaje. XXV. Zagreb: 298.
  38. ^ Marković, Josip (1986). Običajnik župe Sikirevci. Sikirevci. p. 77.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  39. ^ Sekereš, Stjepan (1977). "Govor Hrvata u južnoj Baranji". Hrvatski dijalektološki zbornik. 4. Zagreb: 426.
  40. doi:10.21857/mzvkptx7d9
    .
  41. ^ a b "Danas je Tijelovo. Znate li što zapravo obilježavamo ovim blagdanom?". Večernji list. 20 June 2019.
  42. ^ Dragić 2019, p. 65.
  43. ^ "Danas su Korosante, znate li zašto su za Dubrovnik posebno važne?". Dubrovački dnevnik. 8 June 2023.
  44. ISBN 0-19-283710-9
    .
  45. ^ Antoinette Molinié Fioravanti, Celebrando el Cuerpo de Dios (Corpus Christi Festival), Fondo Editorial PUCP, 1999, pp. 197–198(in Spanish)
  46. ^ "History of the tradition".
  47. ^ "Elements inscribed in 2021 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity" https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/flower-carpets-tradition-for-corpus-christi-processions-01743
  48. ^ Corpus Christi
  49. ^ "Spanish village holds baby jump". bbc.co.uk. BBC News – Europe. 25 May 2008.
  50. ^ VilaWeb TV: L'Ou com Balla a Ca l'Ardiaca (in Catalan)
  51. ^ info at UNESCO.org
  52. ^ "What is the Feast of Corpus Christi? | YOUCAT".
  53. ^ Zakon o blagdanima, spomendanima i neradnim danima u Republici Hrvatskoj Narodne novine. Published 14 November 2019. Archived in Croatian Web Archive (HAW).

External links

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