In the early Church, special devotion to the Eucharist outside of Mass was practically non-existent.  However, by the fourth century, as heresies denying Christ’s divinity grew in popularity, the Church began to more strongly emphasize the divine nature of Jesus.

This emphasis on the sacred was so powerful that people often felt “unworthy” to receive Communion and (if they did choose to receive) did so with fear and awe.  By the Middle Ages, people sometimes attended Mass without receiving Communion.  Since Mass was regarded as a dramatization of Jesus’ passion, people still wanted to see and adore the  consecrated host.  Visual Communion or “adoration of the host” became a substitute  for receiving Communion.

The Feast of Corpus Christi was first proposed by Juliana of Liege, an Augustinian nun whose visions told her a Feast honoring the Blessed Sacrament was needed.  Corpus Christi was first celebrated in 1247 in the Diocese of Liege, France.  In 1264, Pope Urban IV (the former Archbishop of Liege) extended the Feast for the whole Church.

After the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), the Feast of the Body of Christ (Corpus Christi) was combined with the Feast of the Precious Blood of Christ (formerly observed on July 1) as a reminder that Jesus is present under both forms.  The Feast is now the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.

Corpus Christi was assigned to be celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday and is still observed on that day in many countries.  It is also a Holy Day of Obligation in some places.  After Vatican II the United States Bishops assigned the Feast to the Sunday after Trinity Sunday.

God Bless,

Msgr. Powell