Eucharistic Procession for Feast of Corpus Christi

Among my most vivid memories from my time studying in Italy was the Eucharistic procession for the feast of Corpus Christi. I was embarking on a crash course in Italian language in the small town of Urbania (not far from Urbino) in June and so my stay coincided with the Feast of Corpus Christi. Very early in the morning many of the locals began decorating the streets with intricate patterns using dyed bark chips and flower petals. These formed an extensive patchwork of ‘carpets’ marking the way for the procession. Being a small, close-knit medieval town, this was a festival that was celebrated by the whole community, irrespective of whether they would normally come to Mass. At the conclusion of Mass, the priest led a procession accompanied by clergy and servers through the old city carrying the Blessed Sacrament. It was very moving to see the piety of these faithful. Many elderly townsfolk who couldn’t leave their homes waved white handkerchiefs from their windows and balconies; some would spontaneously kneel in the street as the Blessed Sacrament passed their way. Bringing Christ to the streets in this way, enables us to catch a glimpse of how Christ continues to touch people in their ordinary life.    


Corpus Christi College, Eucharistic Procession, Carlton, 2009

The practice of religious processions is ancient, its roots going back to Ancient Israel. When Moses led the people of Israel through the Red Sea it was an image of the People of God in their passage from slavery to freedom: “and the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them” (see Exodus 14). Later when Israel conquered the City of Jericho, Joshua was instructed to form a procession with the Ark of the Covenant walking around the city seven times. When they blew their trumpets the walls of Jericho collapsed and the Israelites seized control of the city (See Joshua 6). When King David brought the Ark of the Covenant back from the house of Abinadab to Jerusalem, he formed a triumphal procession of thirty thousand Israelites. The Ark was processed on a new cart built for the occasion accompanied by a carnival of music as they made their journey back to Jerusalem: “Then David and all the house of Israel played music before the Lord on all kinds of instruments of cedar, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on sistrums, and on cymbals” (2Sam 6:5). The entry of the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem anticipates typologically Jesus’ own triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, amid the waving of palm branches and singing. A carpet of cloaks lined the path. In each of these cultic processions we see the presence and power of God manifested – the procession is a demonstration of faith, with the power to move walls of water and stone…and even the hardest of hearts!
 
In the life of the early Church, public processions would have been difficult given the widespread persecution of Christians. However, in Post-Constantinian Christianity (when the persecution of Christians had largely subsided) the practice of religious processions grew, especially where the translation (ie. relocation) of relics or other holy objects occurred. By the early Medieval period religious processions connected to the liturgical calendar were commonplace. For example, the procession of the Blessed Sacrament to an altar of repose on Holy Thursday goes back to at least the 11^th century. From this time onwards we also see Holy Icons, statues and relics being carried in public processions to commemorate the saints’ feast days.

The character of these religious processions is both public and festive. Sadly, the custom of holding religious processions has been in decline since the Second Vatican Council, not that the Council in any way intended this to happen. The current Catechism of the Catholic Church mentions processions among the expressions of popular piety to be promoted by the Church:

Besides sacramental liturgy and sacramentals, catechesis must take into account the forms of piety and popular devotions among the faithful. The religious sense of the Christian people has always found expression in various forms of piety surrounding the Church's sacramental life, such as the veneration of relics, visits to sanctuaries, pilgrimages, processions, the stations of the cross, religious dances, the rosary, medals, etc. (CCC. n.1674)

At a time when faith is increasingly being pushed out of the public square it seems especially important for the Church to reclaim the public nature of her mission to “make disciples of all nations”. Jesus insists that our faith is not simply a matter of private belief, but should be visible like a lamp placed high on a lampstand for all to see: “in the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt 5:15-16). Later in Matthew’s Gospel Jesus says “So every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven” (Matt 10:32). Hopefully many of the local faithful will come to take part in our Eucharistic procession this weekend as a public witness to our faith in Jesus Christ and His presence with us in the Most Holy Sacrament of His Body and Blood.