Permission granted by Bishop Mark Hagemoen to post his above photo on our website as an example of Benediction at a diocesan Divine Liturgy celebration in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon, SK
We encourage having processions of the Blessed Sacrament, not only at Corpus Christi, including small processions and Benediction inside churches or around the outside of your building and property.
“The Sanctuary of Lourdes is a clear example of the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. In 1888, a French priest of the National Pilgrimage proposed the creation of a procession with the Blessed Sacrament in Lourdes; a miraculous healing was then realized. Since then the sick make pilgrimages to Lourdes, are blessed by the Holy Sacrament and countless have been cured of illnesses during the procession of the Blessed Sacrament.” For more information on the miraculous healings realized during procession of the Blessed Sacrament click here.
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Priests are encouraged to process with the Blessed Sacrament anytime, including privately indoors or on Church property by themselves or with a few others in times of pandemic; or publicly in the streets, especially for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi in the month of June.
In Canada, this Solemnity is celebrated on a Sunday (i.e. June 14, 2020).
The Solemnity of Corpus Christi (Dies Sanctissimi Corporis et Sanguinis Domini Iesu Christi; “Day of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ the Lord”), is a liturgical feast of the Real Presence of the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.
The feast of Corpus Christi was proposed by St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church to Pope Urban IV; in order to create a feast focused solely on the Holy Eucharist, emphasizing the joy of the Eucharist being the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. Having recognized the authenticity of the Eucharistic Miracle of Bolsena, on the input of St. Thomas Aquinas, in 1264, the pontiff, then living in Orvieto, established the feast of Corpus Christi as a Solemnity and extended it to the whole Roman Catholic Church.
A special Plenary Indulgence is available for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi:
“The faithful who piously participate in solemn Eucharistic procession, either inside or outside of a church, especially on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, may receive a plenary indulgence.”
“18. Eucharistic processions through the city streets help the faithful feel themselves to be the people of God, together with their Lord, proclaiming their faith in “God with us and for us” (cf. Redemptionis Sacramentum, 142-144; Directory of Popular Piety, 162-163). This is particularly true of the Eucharistic procession par excellence, that of Corpus Christi.”
“During these processions, care must be taken that the norms guaranteeing the dignity of the celebration and the necessary reverence toward the Blessed Sacrament are observed; and that the decorations used in the streets, the offering of flowers, the hymns and the prayers all manifest the people’s faith in, and praise of the Lord (cf. De sacra communione, 101-108).”
Source: Vatican archives on the Year of the Eucharist
“We bring Christ, present under the sign of bread, onto the streets of our city. We entrust these streets, these homes, our daily life, to his goodness. May our streets be streets of Jesus! May our houses be homes for him and with him! May our life of every day be penetrated by his presence.
“With this gesture, let us place under his eyes the sufferings of the sick, the solitude of young people and the elderly, temptations, fears — our entire life. The procession represents an immense and public blessing for our city: Christ is, in person, the divine Blessing for the world. May the ray of his blessing extend to us all!
“In the Corpus Domini procession, we walk with the Risen One on his journey to meet the entire world.”
Pope Benedict, Corpus Christi 2005
This comprehensive document Corpus Christi – the Body and Blood of Christ covers background, guidelines, Mass, readings and prayers for four stations in a Corpus Christi Procession. It includes extensive quotations taken from Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite: The Eucharist and The Liturgy of the Hours, A Manual for Clergy and All Involved in Liturgical Ministries, by Peter J. Elliot, Ignatius Press, San Francisco.
While not an obligatory part of a procession, “For centuries one of the customs at Corpus Christi processions is strewing (throwing) flowers (or petals) before Jesus in the monstrance to proclaim Him our King in a very special and public manner. Many saints have written about this wonderful experience but one of the most well-known is St Therese of Lisieux (Doctor of the Church).
St. Therese of Lisieux strewing rose petals
“I loved especially the processions in honour of the Blessed Sacrament. What a joy it was for me to throw flowers beneath the feet of God! Before allowing them to fall to the ground, I threw them as high as I could, and I was never so happy as when I saw my roses touch the sacred monstrance.
“In ancient times when earthly kings entered the city or left their castle, the people greeted the king with flowers and petals to express their love, loyalty, and to proclaim that they were joyful to be part of his kingdom. In the past, it was also seen at weddings to express the people’s love and acceptance. Traditionally in the past, we do the same at Corpus Christi processions.
“How shall I show my love is proved by deeds? Well – the little child will strew flowers…she will embalm the Divine Throne with their fragrance, will sing with a silvery voice the canticle of love.
“Yes, my Beloved, it is thus that my life’s brief day shall be spent before Thee. No other means have I of proving my love than to strew flowers; that is, to let no little sacrifice escape me, not a look, not a word, to avail of the very least actions and do them for Love. I wish to suffer for Love’s sake and for Love’s sake even to rejoice; thus shall I strew flowers. Not one shall I find without shedding its petals for Thee…and then I will sing, I will always sing, even if I must gather my roses in the very midst of thorns – and the longer and sharper the thorns the sweeter shall be my song.”
St. Therese of Lisieux
Many have converted to Catholicism through these processions eg: Blessed Niels Steensen (1638 – 1686), founding father of geology, paleontology, and crystallography.
Source: Strewing Flowers at Corpus Christi Procession
June is also the month dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus!
May Canada and all nations be under the dominion of Our Lord’s Sacred Heart!
The Sacred Heart and the Eucharist
The Sacred Heart is the Eucharist
Archbishop Christian Lépine of Montreal in Canada leads bilingual Corpus Christi celebration and procession:
RESOURCES ON PROCESSIONS:
- Knights of Columbus Eucharistic Procession Guidebook
- Diocese of Montreal – Corpus Christi 2018
- Diocese of Montreal: Corpus Christ great success again
- Diocese of Montreal: Corpus Christi celebrations
- Complete Guide for Celebrating the Feast of Corpus Christi
- Eucharistic Processions: a Guide – Liturgy Office of the UK and Wales
- Bismark Diocese Guidelines for Processions
- Note: a canopy “can be used” “if the parish has one or chooses to make one”, for outdoor processions – this implies that it is not mandatory: canopy instructions
- Corpus Christi Watershed – “What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…” Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)
- Corpus Christi Homily
- Strewing Flowers at the Corpus Christi Procession
- Corpus Christi Processions led by the Oratorians
- Article about a parish Corpus Christi procession
- Corpus Christ Procession Flyer
- Corpus Christi procession at All Saints Lethbridge AB
- Unite our Nation Resources
- Unite Our Nation Playbook for Parishes
- Unite Our Nation Playbook for Universities, Colleges
- Attendee eMail Sequence
- Church Bulletin Announcement
- Core Team Outreach
- Diocese Invitation
- Editable Promotional Flyer — English
- Editable Promotional Flyer — Spanish
- Police Correspondence
- Press Release
- Procession Rally and Patriotic Rosary Script
- Sponsor eMail Sequence
- Free Hymns
- English Spanish 5×8 Flyer
- Protect Our Families – Catholic Fathers’ Day Eucharistic Procession Resources
- There are other social media promotional materials that could be adapted for Canada
Corpus Christi and Eucharistic Hymns include:
Pope Urban IV commissioned St. Thomas Aquinas to compose the texts of the Mass and the Divine Office for Corpus Christi. The splendour, depths and devotion of the prayers and hymns St. Thomas Aquinas wrote have enriched the liturgy with one of this most beautiful rituals.
- Practise the Corpus Christi Sequence
- Corpus Christi Sequence
- Lauda Sion Salvatorem (Corpus Christi Sequence)
- Sacris Solemnis – St. Thomas Aquinas (Panis Angelicus comes from the last two verses of this)
- Panis Angelicus – Bread of Angels – St. Thomas Aquinas
- Pange lingua gloriosi – Praise O Tongue the Mystery of the Glorious Body – St. Thomas Aquinas
- Tantum Ergo Sacramentum – Down in adoration falling – St. Thomas Aquinas
- O Salutaris Hostia – O Saving Victim Opening Wide – St. Thomas Aquinas
- Verbum Supermini Prodiens (The Divine Word Coming Forth) – St. Thomas Aquinas
- Jesus My Lord, My God, My All (known as “Sweet Sacrament”) – Fr. Frederick Faber
- O Jesus we adore Thee (with the verse: “O Sacrament most Holy, O Sacrament Divine”)
- Adoro Te – Godhead here in hiding Whom I do adore – St. Thomas Aquinas
- Corpus Christi playlist of hymns
- Ave Verum Corpus Natum
During 2020, Bishop Joseph Strickland, has called for priests in his diocese to carry out processions with the Blessed Sacrament and to ring the blessed bells of their churches. In places where gatherings are still permitted, the faithful can process too. May all bishops and priests join in having and promoting processions!
You can see how much loving devotion and joy is involved in preparing for and participating in processions in videos. All ages can be a part of this. Families are setting up altars for stations in front of their homes. The floral decorations are stunning.
Note: Videos below have been included in order to promote devotion to Christ and show the great love the Church promotes for the Blessed Sacrament. We do not claim responsibility and apologize in advance if you deem anything, especially in different cultures or nations, to be inappropriate dress or irreverence in any Eucharistic video that may be offend those of purer conscience. Please ignore and disregard or fast forward by anything that does not measure up to your certain standards.
Articles on Processions:
- Preparing for the Feast of Corpus Christi
- What happens to all those flowers in a Corpus Christi procession?
- Sample parish website post about their procession
- Eucharistic Procession led by Archbishop
- Oxford Oratory Procession website post
- Corpus Christi in the diocese of Fort-Wayne South Bend
- 1750 Process in Washington (Unite our Nation), 2020
- Procession: celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi
- Msgr. Charles Pope takes adoration to the the streets for Divine Mercy Sunday
- Priest Does Over 20 Eucharistic Processions – Ends With Drive By Benediction Pastor in Duluth, Ga recently filled the gap with Eucharistic Benediction on March 25. He led more than 20 Eucharistic blessings throughout the cities , processing for about four hours. He concluded with drive-thru benedictions at the church.
- Agnostic converts on spot when pope blessed world amidst coronavirus pandemic
- Eucharistic processions flood empty streets amid coronavirus pandemic
- In time of pandemic, priest could process alone around church
- Priest gives benediction from church rooftop
- Priests lead Eucharistic blessings via airplane over dioceses for deliverance
- 100 gallons of holy water blesses town from crop dusting plane
- Bishops blesses community with hilltop benediction
- Millions show love for the Eucharist in Philippines procession
- Jericho style Eucharistic procession at Planned Parenthood draws almost 2000
- Eucharistic procession for Hollywood homeless draws hundreds
- Pope Francis leads Rome’s Corpus Christi procession on behalf of the persecuted
- Corpus Christi processions make strong impression
- Takin Him to the streets
- Procession asking for divine deliverance from coronavirus
- Adoration in a van, drive-through Confessions
- All Saints Lethbridge AB Procession
As noted above, a special Plenary Indulgence is available for Corpus Christi:
“The faithful who piously participate in solemn Eucharistic procession, either inside or outside of a church, especially on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, may receive a plenary indulgence.”
Italy: a typical “infiorata” (street decoration with flowers) for Corpus Christi
This llustration was made by Massimiliano Caniparoli / CC-BY-SA 3.0
Image: Massimiliano Caniparoli / CC-BY-SA 3.0
For over 200 years the inhabitants of the small village of Spycimierz (Gmina Uniejów, Poland) create colourful flower carpets with a length of almost 2 km along the Corpus Christi procession route. Source link
Wikipedia commons Enric Naval: Corpus Christi celebration on Tamarite de Litera, 2006
Flower petals stirred up by the wind (Spain)
Live Streamed Corpus Christi Procession in Medjugorje on Mary TV’s web page under “Special Programming”
A carpet of cedar, roses, chrysanthemum and fragrant herbs decorate the path of the Blessed Sacrament for a Procession of the Blessed Sacrament indoors below with hymns led from the choir loft at this parish:
St. Peter Julian Eymard posters are available in our shop here
Note: Check liturgical calendar for USA or other countries where Corpus Christi may be celebrated on a Thursday (i.e. Jun 11, 2020).
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