FEAST OF CORPUS CHRISTI
The Feast of Corpus Christi originated in the
year 1246 when Robert of Torote, bishop of Liege
ordered the festival to be celebrated in his diocese,
having been persuaded to do so by St. Juliana,
prioress of Mount Cornillon, who had seen a
vision. The vision consisted of a full moon with a
dark band running across it. In a subsequent vision
Jesus revealed to her that the moon represented the
life of the Church, while the dark band represented
the dimming of faith caused by the absence of a
feast dedicated to Eucharistic reverence. In 1264
Pope Urban IV, formerly archdeacon of Liege,
ordered the whole Church to observe the feast. It
was a wise decision since nothing is greater or more
beautiful than the Eucharist.
‘The Holy Eucharist contains the whole spiritual
treasure of the Church, that is Christ Himself.’
(Vatican II).
‘Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the living heart of
each of our parishes.’ (Pope St. Paul V).
‘The Eucharist is our spiritual life blood.’ (Pope Francis).
‘The Eucharist makes the Church.’ (Pope St. John Paul II).
‘Without the Eucharist the Church, quite simply, does
not exist.’ (Pope Benedict XVI).
‘The greatest love story of all time is contained in a
tiny white host.’ (Bishop Fulton Sheen).
‘In a crumb of bread the whole mystery is.’
(Patrick Kavanagh).
‘For the Irish it was always the Mass that mattered.’
(Augustine Birrell, Chief Secretary of Ireland 1907-16).
It is right and fitting then to cherish, to celebrate,
to pass-on.