We explain what Corpus Christi is, what it commemorates and how it is celebrated in different places. Also, what was its origin and history.
What is Corpus Christi?
The festival of Corpus Christi (“body of Christ” in Latin), also known as Corpus Domini (“body of the lord”) and even as the Solemnity of the body and blood of Christ, It is one of the largest celebrations of the Christian calendar, in which the Eucharist of Holy Thursday is commemorated that is, the last supper that the prophet Jesus of Nazareth had before his crucifixion and, according to the Christian creed, his resurrection and ascent to the kingdom of heaven.
Corpus Christi It is celebrated annually on the Thursday following the solemnity of the Holy Trinity, that is, sixty days after Easter Sunday with which Holy Week ends. In other words, Corpus Christi is always celebrated on the Thursday following the ninth full moon of spring in the northern hemisphere. However, some countries prefer to move it to the following Sunday so as not to alter the work calendar.
It is an official holiday in numerous Christian countries on the five continents, especially in those with a Catholic tradition, but also in others that follow Orthodox or Protestant doctrine: from Spain and Latin America, Germany, Italy or Switzerland, to Australia, Philippines, Russia, Equatorial Guinea or the Seychelles islands. In each region it can have its own and exclusive way of celebrating, always in line with the Christian religious imagery.
See also: Easter
What is celebrated in Corpus Christi?
As its name indicates, Corpus Christi is the celebration of the body (and blood) of Christ, which in the New Testament refers to the story of the Last Supper, where Jesus of Nazareth gave his disciples wine to drink, telling them that it was his blood, and he gave them bread to eat, telling them that it was his body. This event is remembered in Christianity through the Eucharist, in which the faithful ingest the sacred host to also receive the body of Christ.
Corpus Christi, then, is a festival of veneration of the Eucharist, which originally served to publicly expand the followers of Christianity and to support the Christian cause in a context in which a good part of the European population still embraced paganism. This is why Corpus Christi celebrations tend to be showy, even ostentatious, far from the solemnity of Christianity.
Origin and history of Corpus Christi
The origin of Corpus Christi dates back to the 13th century, specifically to the year 1246, when it was made for the first time. Its creator was the Augustinian nun Saint Juliana of Liege or Saint Juliana of Cornillon (1193-1258), of Belgian origin, who dedicated a good part of his life to promoting the Catholic faith and sharing the mystical revelations he had from an early age.
The Corpus Christi festival owes its importance to a mystical event that occurred according to religious tradition in Bolsena, Italy, during a mass in 1263. It is said that the priest broke the consecrated host before his parishioners and blood flowed from it which impacted not only the faithful present, but the people of the surrounding regions, since the story circulated abundantly.
Hence, on September 8 of the following year, Pope Urban IV instituted the public celebration of the Eucharist in the official Christian calendar, through the bull Transiturus de hoc mundo. For its first official celebration, Saint Thomas Aquinas was commissioned to write the texts and prepare the service for the mass. That's where the hymns come from. Pangue lingua, Lauda Sion, Angelicus Breads either I love you devoteof his authorship.
However, when Urban IV died years later, the Corpus Christi festival was barely practiced in some regions of France, Germany, Hungary and northern Italy. Thus, during the Council of Vienne in 1311, Pope Clement V dictated the general norms for its celebration inside and outside the churches, but The total establishment of the holiday in the Christian world corresponded to Pope John XXII in 1317 and, above all, to Pope Nicholas V in 1447, who personally went out through the streets of Rome holding the consecrated host in his hands.
Examples of Corpus Christi celebrations
Corpus Christi celebrations can be very varied and picturesque, depending on the place where they are celebrated. Some examples are:
- The Patum of Berga. This name is used to refer to one of the largest celebrations of Corpus Christi in Spain, which takes place in the town of Berga, Catalonia, and was declared by UNESCO as Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2005. Its origins date back to the 19th century. XIV and consists of the public representation of various mystical and religious figures, who dance in the streets to the rhythm of drums, amidst fireworks and parades. This festival begins on the eve of Corpus Christi, the previous Wednesday, and ends the following Sunday.
- The Corpus Christi procession of Toledo. Considered of religious and tourist interest in Spain and Europe, this celebration has been held since 1595 and rescues an important legacy of the Mozarabic liturgy, as well as poetic contributions from the great names of medieval and baroque Spanish tradition. The celebration itself consists of a long procession carried out in two parts, during which the Custody of Toledo is carried, one of the greatest jewels of Catholicism, a work of goldsmithing from the 16th century made of silver and which took more than seven years. in being elaborated.
- The celebration of Corpus Christi in Cusco. An important part of Cusco and Peruvian folklore, this celebration that begins on the eve of Corpus Christi Thursday began to take place in the 16th century, with the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors to the territory of the ancient Inca Tiwanaku. The celebration consists of carrying the different patron saints of the city in procession, as a prelude to the procession of the custody of the Cusco cathedral: a piece of gold and silver where the sacred host is displayed. In the Plaza Mayor the mass is sung by the archbishop and the parishioners later commemorate with dances and musical troupes.
- Corpus Christi in La Orotava. The largest celebration of Corpus Christi on the Canary island of Tenerife takes place in the towns of La Orotava, La Laguna and Tacoronte. There, traditional rugs with religious motifs are made, using floral petals and inked volcanic sand brought from the Teide National Park. The largest of these carpets covers the entire Town Hall square and is accompanied by the Catholic procession. The popularity of this festival dates back to 1847, when the first floral carpets were made.
- The Dancing Devils of Corpus Christi. It is the greatest Venezuelan tradition of Corpus Christi, carried out by brotherhoods or brotherhoods that celebrate the Eucharist through processions accompanied by music, whose members wear devil masks and brightly colored costumes, to carry out dances and choreographies. There are 11 brotherhoods in the country, each one based in different cities such as Yare, Cata, Ocumare de la Costa or Tinaquillo, bringing together more than 5,000 participants. This celebration was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012 by UNESCO.
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References
- “Corpus Christi” on Wikipedia.
- “Corpus Christi Thursday” on Catholic.net.
- “The Corpus Christi Festival and history of said festival” at the Catholic University of the Santísima Concepción (Chile).
- “Feast of Corpus Christi (Christianity)” in The Encyclopaedia Britannica.
