The feast, commonly known as Corpus Christi, centers on the Eucharist and falls on the Thursday following Trinity Sunday. Processions accompanying the observance date to 13th-century Cologne, and the tradition of stopping at four altars representing the four Gospels and the four corners of the world was established in 15th-century Germany and continues today.
In Poland, Corpus Christi processions began appearing in the early 14th century, first in Płock and Wrocław, and rapidly gained significance.
While attendance at Mass is obligatory for Catholics on the feast day — communion cannot be received during the procession itself — Pope Francis described the meaning of the Eucharist in 2015 as something that extends beyond the devout.
"The Eucharist is not a prize for the good, but strength for the weak, for sinners — it is forgiveness, it is food for the journey, which helps us walk and pilgrim", he said.
Pope John Paul II, in a 1998 reflection, called Corpus Christi processions "an extraordinarily eloquent witness to the truth that the Lord Jesus, crucified and risen, continues to walk the roads of the world".
The feast traces its origins to Juliana of Cornillon, a 13th-century prioress who first advocated for a special Eucharistic celebration. The first Corpus Christi procession was held in 1246 in Liège, with Pope Urban IV formally establishing the feast in 1264.
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Source: PAP