Corpus Christi Sunday, also known as the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, was celebrated this year, on Sunday, June 19, 2022. One of the key liturgical facets of Corpus Christi is its procession. Corpus Christi processions are an important tradition in the life of the Catholic Church. It was only in the 15th century that Corpus Christi becomes one of the principal feasts of the church.
Originally proposed as a feast day by St. Thomas Aquinas, this liturgical solemnity honors the Eucharist, reminding all to recognize that it is the True Presence: the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ. St. Thomas Aquinas: “The Eucharist is the sacrament of love: it signifies love, it produces love. The Eucharist is the consummation of the whole spiritual life.”
Of course, processions have great biblical, liturgical and popular pietistic importance.
Processions has significance since the time of the Old Testament, for example like the processions with the Ark of the Covenant, or the innumerable accounts of festal pilgrimage processions to Jerusalem — praising God with folk music and dance — of which the Psalms speak. Or in the New Testament, the procession of Christ through those first Palm Sunday crowds who shouted his praises. Processions of the faithful enable Christians to give public witness to their faith, give glory to God, and they symbolize our earthly pilgrimage to the heavenly Jerusalem. Eucharistic processions began shortly after the institution of the solemnity of Corpus Christi. Often splendid and regal, the practice was encouraged by the Council of Trent so as to reiterate the Church’s belief in the real presence of the Blessed Sacrament. The medieval Eucharistic processions on Corpus Christi were grand and stately affairs, involving entire towns and cities. They were particularly glorious in European Catholic monarchies, where sovereigns and nobility, other civic officials and military guards took part. The faithful knelt in place outside their homes as the procession came by. This is still seen today in the few vestiges of Catholic monarchy, such as in the Principality of Monaco, where the prince and members of his family kneel in adoration on the Galerie Hercule of the Prince’s Palais during the Corpus Christi procession led by their archbishop. Catholic parishes continue this venerable tradition in a variety of different ways. When parish churches are in a residential area, perhaps altars are set up, adorned with flowers and candles in front of homes, or at a designated place set up for the faithful to stop and adore the Eucharistic Lord along the procession route. In some cities, the processions may stretch over blocks of buildings, or in some cases even a mile or more — likely concluding at a different church.
At the chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
where I regularly attend, the congregation celebrated this great feast day, following tradition, with a Traditional Latin Mass and organized a procession, to go around the vicinity of the location. Being a small congregation, many young men and ladies were “all hands on deck” to complete all the preparations for the special day. All the faithful joined in the procession including the little children, among them some as flower girls, scattering rose petals in front of the path where Our Lord would pass. Even a little baby followed in a pram, pushed by her mother. We had a beautifully decorated canopy, topped with white ostrich feathers on all the four corners, which was held over the priest as he carried the monstrance, and servers with lit torches walking alongside of the priest to accompany the Blessed Sacrament. What we don’t see accompanying us all are the guardian angels of the Blessed Sacrament, the Chapel and of everyone in the congregation. Mid-way of the procession route, we stopped to adore Our Lord at an altar specially arranged with flowers, candles and a carpet rug under another beautiful canopy. All along the way traditional hymns were sung by the choir members and the faithful, the young and elderly. Emotions were evoked during the singing as thoughts of the immense love of Christ for us and how little love is reciprocated in return; and no one around to adore Him as He passes by, except for one lady, we noticed on bended knees. At least there were passers-by and even those in cars, stopping to see the unusual scene and recording it on their mobile devices. Hopefully God’s grace will touch them. It’s so unlike the processions I had witnessed in Catholic cities like Fatima and Lourdes where every knee would bow even their pet dogs. A procession like this is traditionally an important part of the life of every Catholic parish but sadly on this day the local church parishes were devoid of it. Thanks to the young men of our parish, who made extra efforts the evening before, sacrificing their sleep, to complete all the necessary decorations to the chapel and the accoutrements (paraphernalia) for the procession to make it all possible. God bless them and strengthen them for their devoted efforts and the continuity of this tradition. A public witness of our faith.
A procession, by its nature, is a public event. God who created the universe and all within it deserves our public manifestation of thanksgiving and adoration. It is also a way of invoking the aid of God, Our Lady and the saints upon the places and streets through which we process.
We ought to bring Jesus into the streets as a sign of our faith. With everything that is happening in our world currently, we want to show our belief in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. We hope to restore, renew and revive our own beliefs as well as to bless the whole community as we walk, with Our Lord, through the little district township in Petaling Jaya, where we are located. “ We entrust these streets, these homes, our daily life, to his goodness. May our streets be streets of Jesus! May our houses be homes for Him and with Him! May our life of every day be penetrated by His presence. With this gesture, let us place under his eyes the sufferings of the sick, the solitude and troubles of young people and the elderly; the temptations, fears – our entire life. The procession represents an immense and public blessing for our city: Christ is, in person, Blessing the world. May the ray of his blessing extend to us all!” Pope Benedict XVI, Corpus Christi Procession in Rome in 2005. Why should we, as Catholics, continue this tradition Of The Corpus Christi Procession?
We should continue this tradition, especially in this world of growing godlessness, to show the world that we continue to love, honour and to serve the one and only Almighty God.
From the sermon preached, at the chapel, on Corpus Christi, it covered the points made by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in his Pastoral Letter, dated way back in 24th February 1949, entitled ‘Confronting Godlessness’, the following points should drive us to continue this tradition: 1. To avenge the honour of God by leading a more intensely fervent Christian life. To render to God by our worship the praises that we offer to Him. May the outward acts of our worship be accompanied by our inward adoration, our devotion. 2.To make reparation for the sins and offence committed by the Godless. 3. In continuing this tradition, we strive, with all our might, to establish the Kingship of Our Lord Jesus Christ in civil society and in family life. (“No civil society can survive by banishing God because only the sacred principles of religion can justly balance the rights and duties of the citizens and consolidate the foundation of the State.” Pope Pius XII) 4. For the triumph of the Church and the glory of God. “Look down, O Lord, from Thy sanctuary, and from Heaven Thy dwelling-place on high, and behold this sacred Victim which our great High-Priest, Thy holy Child, Our Lord Jesus, offers up to Thee for the sins of This brethren; and be appeased for the multitude of our transgressions. Behold the voice of the Body of Jesus, crying to Thee from the Cross. Give ear, O Lord! be appeased, O Lord! hearken, and do not tarry for Thine own sake, O my God, for Thy Name is invoked upon this city and upon Thy people; and deal with us according to Thy mercy. Amen.”
On Corpus Christi, it’s a remembrance and celebration of a true and lasting miracle of the Holy Eucharist. May our observance of this Catholic Tradition bring honor to Almighty God and consolation to His Most Sacred Heart.
A special note:
Many of the original texts for Corpus Christi composed by St. Thomas Aquinas, including Adoro te Devote, remain an essential part of the Church’s sacred hymnography. The Pange Lingua, for example, is often sung during the Eucharistic procession after the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, to which the last two stanzas are referred separately as Tantum ergo and sung at Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. |
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January 2024
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