Corpus Christi

The Solemnity of Corpus Christi, also known as the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, celebrates the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. In the early 13th century, St. Juliana of Liège spread her strong devotion to the Eucharist in her local community. In 1246 the first local celebrations of Corpus Christi occurred, and in 1264, Corpus Christi became a feast in the whole Church. While we celebrate Jesus in the Eucharist at every Mass, this Solemnity particularly reminds us that the Eucharist is the “source and summit of the Christian life” (Lumen gentium). Many parishes have a Eucharistic Procession on Corpus Christi as a way to adore Christ and publicly acknowledge their faith. The Solemnity of Corpus Christi is celebrated the Thursday after Trinity Sunday, but in the United States it is typically moved to the Sunday.