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Poles celebrate Corpus Christi

16.06.2022 09:00
Thousands of worshippers took to the streets of towns and villages across Poland in religious processions on Thursday as Roman Catholics marked the feast of Corpus Christi.
Traditional Polish Corpus Christi procession
Traditional Polish Corpus Christi processionPhoto: PAP/Krzysztof Świderski

Following tradition, colourful processions were held the length and the breadth of the country, to celebrate one of the most important dates in the Catholic Church.

The Catholic faithful in Poland traditionally attend Mass and then embark on a procession of the Blessed Sacrament carried aloft throughout the procession, while the faithful sing.

Some participants are dressed in traditional folk costumes, adding colour to the traditional parades, held on a day which is a public holiday in Poland.

The processions are attended by thousands, as the feast is one of the most important in the Roman Catholic Church.

The Polish tradition of arranging flower carpets for Corpus Christi processions has been put on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The decision was made by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage at its 16th session in Paris, in December.

Corpus Christi is always held on the ninth Thursday after Easter, following Trinity Sunday, and it celebrates the belief that Christ's blood and body are present in the Eucharist.

The feast has been celebrated in Poland since 1320, with the first mention of processions taking place around the 15th century.

During communism in Poland, Corpus Christi processions were banned, however.

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