Reflection on the Feast of Corpus Christi - June 6, 2021

Juliana of Liège, a 13th century canoness from Liège, Belgium, had a vision of the Church under a full moon with one dark spot on it, signifying the absence of a feast dedicated to the Body and Blood of Christ. After having visions of Christ for over 20 years, she finally told her Bishop about it, upon which he instituted the celebration of Corpus Christi to be held in the diocese each year thereafter on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday.

Pope Urban IV instituted the Solemnity of Corpus Christi on the Thursday after Pentecost as a feast for the entire Latin Church in 1264. This was the first ‘Papal’ declaration of a feast for the Church. While Holy Thursday was also seen as a Feast for the Body and Blood of Christ, it is also a remem-brance of the institution of Holy Orders and the ideals of service through the washing of the feet. Hence, the feast of Corpus Christi was established to create a feast solely focused on the Holy Eucharist.

When Pope Pius V revised the General Roman Calendar, Corpus Christi was one of only two feasts that he kept - Trinity Sunday and Corpus Christi. This feast is traditionally celebrated with a Eucharistic procession throughout the surrounding area of the church after the Mass. At the end of the proces-sion, the Eucharist is returned to the Church for Adoration and Benediction.