The feast of Corpus Christi, “the Body of Christ,” is celebrated on the Thursday after Holy Trinity Sunday, 60 days after Easter, or, in countries where it is not a holy day of obligation, on the following Sunday.
This feast day is a time to reflect on the real presence of Jesus Christ in the bread and wine we receive each Mass. Remember that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist as we honor him. It is not just a symbol or a memory; it is Him, in body, blood, soul, and divinity. This mystery is beyond our understanding.
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How did the feast come about?
The origin of the feast is two separate Eucharistic miracles. These miracles are moments of divine intervention that confirm faith in the Real Presence of the Body and Blood of Jesus in the Eucharist. They were the vision of St. Juliana of Mount Cornillon and the Miracle of Bolsena.
The Vision of Saint Julienne of Mount Cornillon
St. Juliana of Mount Cornillon (1222-1258) had a vision of the Church under the appearance of a full moon with a dark spot. Christ showed her during the vision that the moon represented the Church at that time, and the black spot symbolized the fact that a great feast in honor of the Blessed Sacrament was missing from the liturgical calendar.
She confessed this vision to Bishop Robert de Thorete, then Bishop of Liege, and Jacques Pantaléon, who later became Pope Urban IV. Bishop Robert decided to convene a synod in 1246, which authorized celebrating a feast dedicated to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament – Corpus Christi – to be celebrated in the diocese the following year.
The Miracle of Bolsena
A few years later, Father Pietro da Prague had become lukewarm in his faith and began to doubt the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. One day in 1263, while celebrating Mass in the Church of Santa Cristina in Bolsena, the precious Blood of Our Lord flowed from the Host at the moment of the breaking of the bread, covering the altar, the corporal, and the floor.
Pope Urban IV, who then resided in Orvieto, ordered that the precious cloth, covered with precious Blood, be taken to the Church of Santa Maria in Orvieto, where it is still venerated today. In 1264, he published the Bull “Transiturus de hoc mundo” (in Spanish), where he ordered the annual celebration of the Solemnity of Corpus Christi in the universal Church.
At the Last Supper, Jesus gave himself selflessly for us. Just as a good friend wants to remain present when he must go, so does Jesus. He left us His own body and blood as a reminder of Himself.
The Eucharist is the most precious gift He has left us. His Living Body calls us to imitate this self-giving love in our lives and to be there for others. Just as He gave us the Eucharist to remain present in our lives, we too are called to be present to others. Furthermore, the Eucharist reminds us of our unity as the Body of Christ. Jesus is the Head of the Church and we are his body. When we receive communion, we all form a union of brothers and sisters who long to live as Christ did.
I invite you to approach the Eucharist with reverence and gratitude, aware of its incredible gift. May we reflect Christ’s love and mercy to all we meet as we carry His presence within us. May we always treasure and seek to understand the mystery of the Holy Eucharist throughout our lives.
You can use the Catholic Mass Times app to find the nearest Catholic church with Mass, Confession, and Adoration schedules. It will surely help you! Download it now.
