The Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ is usually referred to by its Latin name, Corpus Christi. It is celebrated on the second Sunday after Pentecost. On this great feast we praise and thank God for the gift of Christ in the Eucharist with our prayers and by receiving Holy Communion.

The Feast of Corpus Christi has its origin in the twelfth century. Then the Church favored the adoration of Christ in the Consecrated bread to the exclusion of a fuller meaning of Eucharist as a meal to be shared.

People of the Middle Ages preferred to look at the host rather than receive it as communion because they felt unworthy to take the real presence of Christ into their bodies. The popular ritual of Benediction grew from this idea. Since that time, however, the Church has restored receiving the Eucharist as the primary devotion.

A popular Corpus Christi procession includes carrying the Blessed Sacrament in a vessel known as a monstrance through the church and returning it to the tabernacle. In the Middle Ages, the Blessed Sacrament was carried through the fields. Today, in some countries it is carried in a procession through city streets.

Family Activity

	Talk about what it means to be Eucharist for others. Explain that whenever we live as followers of Jesus, we nourish other people with the presence of Jesus.

	•		Decide on a family project to bring the presence of Christ to others in a real way. Some ideas include participating in a food or clothing drive, making cards and small gifts for the elderly or the homebound, or visiting a children’s hospital with cards and balloons.
	•		Select a single plan and assign necessary tasks. Set aside time to carry out this project.

See the Liturgical Calendar on this site for additional information.
See also Catechist—Lent or Teacher—Lent for Liturgy.