Corpus Christi 2025: A festival full of tradition and creditor passion

Corpus Christi 2025: A festival full of tradition and creditor passion

On June 20, 2025, the High Festival Corpus Christi will be celebrated in Cologne and other Catholic regions. It takes place on the second Thursday after Pentecost, 60 days after Easter, and is an important holiday for the Catholic Church. This festival has a long tradition that goes back to the 13th century when the Augustinian nun Juliana von Liège, who lived in Liège in Belgium, had a vision. This vision showed her a full moon, a piece of which symbolized the lack of a special festival for the veneration of the Holy Eucharist. She also expressed these views to Pope Urban IV, who introduced the Corpus Christi festival in the entire Latin church in 1264. So reports MDR

Juliana von Liège, born in 1192 in Retinne, became full ore early and found her new home in a monastery. There she showed great interest in the Eucharist, which she accompanied until her death in 1258. In addition, she experienced her thoughts on a feast for the veneration of the body of Christ by supporting fellow sisters. For example, Johannes von Lausanne, her confessor, helped implement their visions and the first hour prayer for the festival. This information is well prepared by katholisch.de to be found.

The meaning of Corpus Christi

The word Corpus Christi is derived from the Middle High German, whereby "Fron" "Lord" and "Lichnam" means "living body". In the Catholic tradition, it denotes the feast of the body and blood of Christ, which was raised by the encyclical "Transisturus de Hoc Mundo" for the general. The influence of Thomas Aquin, who put together 1264 texts for the liturgy and the official, was also decisive. According to Pope Urban IV.'s introduction, the first Corpus Christi celebration took place in Rome, Münster and Orvieto in 1264, while the first procession in Cologne took place in 1274. Details can be found on Domradio.de

In these processions, which represent a central element of the festival, the lived piety of the faithful is visible. They symbolize the return of the children of God in the eternal Jerusalem, while the monstrance and the canopy play an important role. These elements are firmly anchored in Catholic liturgy and reflect the faith of the community. A custom that also established itself is the veneration of the consecrated host during the procession, often accompanied by prayers and chants to show Jesus' presence in the bread.

Corpus Christi today

In Germany, Corpus Christi is a legal holiday in Catholic states, and the celebrations have developed over the centuries. Even today, the Eucharist plays a central role in Christian life, and processions are organized with great dedication by many communities. However, the festival not only has spiritual importance, but also historical dimensions, since it was often seen as an act of passive resistance in the time of National Socialism.

With the Corpus Christi festival, a deep cultural heritage is connected, which is still alive in many Catholic regions. In this way, the high festival not only remains an important part of the liturgy, but also a moment of community connection and piety for the believers.