CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION WITH ARCHBISHOP SAMPLE

Location: St. Mary's Cathedral 
1716 NW Davis St, Portland, OR 97209
Date: Sunday, June 2nd
Holy Mass: 11:00 AM
Procession: Noon

Please join us to celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) at St. Mary's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Northwest Portland. Archbishop Sample will celebrate the 11:00 AM Mass with full choir.

After Mass, we will begin the traditional Corpus Christi procession, with Archbishop Sample carrying the Blessed Sacrament to Couch Park, a six-minute walk from the Cathedral. This solemnity and procession are in adoration of God who is truly present in the Holy Eucharist.

If your parish is not organizing a procession after Mass this year, please join us at the Cathedral, the Mother Church of Western Oregon, for the Corpus Christi procession which will start at the front of the Cathedral at Noon!

 

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ “Corpus Christi” 

The Feast of Corpus Christi was instituted in the Middle Ages to commemorate the presence of Jesus Christ in the sacrament of the Eucharist.

History of this Feast Honoring the Blessed Sacrament

In 1264, Pope Urban IV made the Feast of Corpus Christi obligatory for the universal Church, but this feast initially struggled to gain acceptance among some bishops and theologians. Eventually, it became a very popular feast, particularly famous in Spain. It was abolished in Protestant countries but was retained by the Anglican Church. This feast was called Corpus Christi (Latin for the 'Body of Christ'), Corpus Domini ('Body of the Lord'), or the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament. 

In 1318, Pope John XXII ordered that the Eucharist be carried in a solemn procession through the streets and paths on the day of the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament to sanctify and bless them. It was at this time that the monstrance appeared. This custom spread throughout the West in the 14th and 15th centuries. The Council of Trent (1545-1563) approved this procession of Corpus Christi, which constituted a public profession of faith in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The procession of the Blessed Sacrament for this Solemnity is still very popular in Italy, Spain, and Poland but has become less widespread in other traditionally Catholic countries, though other public processions are still very popular across Latin America, especially for Holy Week. 

Description of the Corpus Christi Procession

During the Corpus Christi procession, a priest carried the Eucharist through streets and plazas richly decorated with draperies and garlands. The Blessed Sacrament was sheltered under a sumptuous canopy carried by four dignitaries. A stop was made at a resting place, a kind of altar covered with flowers. The officiant incensed the Eucharist and blessed the people. The procession walked on a carpet of rose petals scattered by children in the path of the Blessed Sacrament, making it a true spectacle.

The Monstrance

A priest carried the Eucharist in a monstrance under a canopy often held by four people. Sometimes the monstrance was placed on a cart pulled by two horses. At the resting place, the officiant incensed the Eucharist and blessed the people with the monstrance. The monstrance is a liturgical object designed to hold the consecrated host, expose it for the adoration of the faithful, and bless them.

The Resting Place of Corpus Christi

The resting place in the Corpus Christi procession is a significant moment of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The procession makes a stop at a resting place, a kind of altar decorated or covered with flowers. At the resting place, the officiant incensed the Eucharist and blessed the people with the monstrance. The resting place could be outdoors or indoors. For processions with longer routes, there were often several stops along the journey. 

What is the Meaning of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ?

Since the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council, the Feast of Corpus Christi is officially called the "Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ" but is still commonly referred to by the shorter name "Corpus Christi." This solemnity commemorates the institution of the sacrament of the Eucharist, calling for a deeper understanding of the Eucharist and its place in our lives. It celebrates the God of love who reveals Himself by giving His body and blood, offering Himself as the food of eternal life and allows the faithful to publicly adore His real, living presence.