On Sunday 22nd June 2025, Catholics across the world will celebrate Corpus Christi Sunday - a Solemnity that stands at the very heart of our Catholic faith. The name, Corpus Christi, is Latin for The Body of Christ, and it is a day on which the Church joyfully affirms the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Eucharist: body, blood, soul and divinity.
This feast is not merely a reminder - it is a proclamation. A proclamation that Jesus, who gave Himself to us on the Cross, continues to give Himself to us in the Holy Eucharist. And this year, as we reflect upon the mystery and majesty of this truth on 22nd June, we are invited to enter more deeply into the Eucharistic heart of our Catholic life.
A Brief History of the Feast
The Feast of Corpus Christi was established in the 13th century, following Eucharistic visions received by St Juliana of Liège, a Norbertine canoness in Belgium. She longed for a special feast to honour the Blessed Sacrament outside the shadow of Holy Thursday, which, though Eucharistic in character, is often overshadowed by the Passion of Christ. Encouraged by these divine revelations and supported by theologians such as St Thomas Aquinas, Pope Urban IV instituted the feast for the universal Church in 1264.
St Thomas Aquinas composed several of the liturgical hymns we still sing today on Corpus Christi, such as Pange Lingua, Tantum Ergo, and Panis Angelicus. These hymns do not merely decorate the liturgy; they teach deep theology, proclaiming what we believe - that in the consecrated Host and chalice, Christ is truly present.
The Scriptural Foundation: “This is My Body…”
The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist is not some medieval invention. It comes straight from the words of Jesus Himself. At the Last Supper, we hear:
“And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ And likewise the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.’” (Luke 22:19–20, RSV-CE)
These are not metaphorical words. They are a declaration and a command. And the Church has taken them seriously since the earliest times. St Paul affirms this in his letter to the Corinthians:
“The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?” (1 Corinthians 10:16, RSV-CE)
The Feast of Corpus Christi, therefore, is not based on sentimentality or tradition alone - it is deeply rooted in Scripture, flowing from the very lips of our Lord and sustained by the consistent belief and practice of the Church throughout the centuries.
Why Celebrate Corpus Christi Today?
In our modern world, the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is often forgotten, misunderstood, or ignored. Even among Catholics, statistics have shown a decline in belief in the doctrine of the Real Presence. In such a climate, the Feast of Corpus Christi becomes more important than ever.
This solemnity is a public act of faith - a chance to make visible what we believe to be invisible.
For many parishes, the celebration includes a Eucharistic procession, in which the consecrated Host, carried in a monstrance under a canopy, is taken through the streets. As bells ring and hymns are sung, the faithful walk behind their Lord, giving public testimony to His presence.
This year, consider joining your parish procession if one is available - or suggest starting one if it isn’t. Walking through your neighbourhood with Christ is not a performance; it is evangelisation. It is a way of saying to the world, “Jesus is here. And He is everything.”
Jesus in the Monstrance, Jesus in the Tabernacle
The Corpus Christi procession brings into focus a beautiful reality: Jesus is not just with us on Sunday mornings; He remains with us. In the Blessed Sacrament reserved in the tabernacle, Our Lord waits for us. He is not a memory; He is alive.
Many saints, such as St Teresa of Calcutta, spoke of the importance of Eucharistic Adoration. “When you look at the Crucifix,” she said, “you understand how much Jesus loved you then. When you look at the Sacred Host, you understand how much Jesus loves you now.”
This Corpus Christi, take time to sit with Jesus in silence. Spend an hour in Adoration. Even five minutes can change your day - and your life. As Pope St John Paul II reminded us, “The Church draws her life from the Eucharist.” So do we.
The Eucharist and the Sacrifice of the Mass
On Corpus Christi Sunday, we celebrate not only the Presence of Christ in the Host, but also the Sacrifice that makes His Presence possible. The Eucharist is not a mere meal. It is the re-presentation of Calvary - the one eternal Sacrifice of Christ, made present on the altar under the appearances of bread and wine.
“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26, RSV-CE)
Every Mass is a miracle. And Corpus Christi is a reminder not to take that miracle for granted. We are not spectators at Mass; we are participants in the mystery of salvation. When the priest lifts the Host and says, “Behold the Lamb of God,” we are truly in the presence of the same Jesus who walked the streets of Galilee, who died for us, and who rose from the dead.
A Eucharistic Revival?
In many countries, there has been a call to reignite belief in the Eucharist. Bishops have launched Eucharistic Revivals and missions to bring Christ back to the centre of parish life. But real revival begins in the heart of each individual believer. It starts with reverence, with frequent confession, and with a return to receiving Holy Communion worthily.
This feast is a chance to reflect on how we approach the Eucharist. Do we prepare ourselves interiorly before receiving? Do we arrive at Mass with reverence and leave with gratitude? Do we truly believe that we are receiving Jesus Himself, or has it become routine?
This 22nd June, let’s make a new beginning. Let’s approach the altar as if we were coming face-to-face with God Himself - because we are.
Families, Children, and the Eucharist
Corpus Christi is also a beautiful moment for catechesis - especially with children. For those who have recently received their First Holy Communion, this feast reinforces the treasure they now receive. For families, it is a time to talk about why we genuflect, why we fast before Communion, and why we show reverence.
Parents are the first teachers of the faith. Teaching a child to bow before the Blessed Sacrament or to say a quiet prayer after receiving Communion plants seeds that can grow into deep love for Jesus. Children instinctively understand reverence when it is modelled for them.
Poetry, Beauty, and Devotion
St Thomas Aquinas' poetry for Corpus Christi remains some of the most profound and enduring in Christian history. His hymn Adoro Te Devote expresses the mystery of the Eucharist with humble beauty:
“Godhead here in hiding, whom I do adore,
Masked by these bare shadows, shape and nothing more,
See, Lord, at thy service low lies here a heart
Lost, all lost in wonder at the God thou art.”
This is not dry theology - it is love in lyrical form. Take time to pray one of these hymns this Corpus Christi. Let them lift your soul towards the Lord, present and waiting in the Eucharist.
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Come, Let Us Adore Him
On Corpus Christi Sunday, the Church invites us to go deeper - beyond routine, beyond assumption, and into the heart of mystery.
Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, gives Himself to us in the humble form of bread and wine. And He does this out of love.
Let us not be indifferent. Let us not walk past the tabernacle without thought. Let us not receive the Host casually or distractedly. Instead, let us fall to our knees, like St Thomas the Apostle, and say, “My Lord and my God!”
This year, may Corpus Christi rekindle in us a flame of Eucharistic faith and devotion. May we become what we receive: the Body of Christ for the world.
A Final Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, truly present in the Holy Eucharist,
we thank You for the gift of Your Body and Blood.
Open our hearts to receive You with greater faith,
deeper love, and profound reverence.
Help us never to take for granted the mystery of Your Presence.
May this Corpus Christi renew our devotion,
strengthen our unity, and bring us ever closer to You.
Amen.
Visit Us in Person
If you live in or near Hampshire, we invite you to join us this Corpus Christi Sunday at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, New Milton.
Come adore the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, join our parish procession, and celebrate the Eucharistic Lord among friends and fellow pilgrims. For Mass times and more information, visit: https://ourladyoflourdes.co.uk/
