Eucharistic Processions

If you’ve been around a Catholic Church on Holy Thursday or the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, chances are you’ve seen the unusual sight of a congregation on the move, flocking behind a priest under a canopy.

On closer inspection, under that canopy in the priest’s hands is a cross, displayed within which is, curiously enough, the Blessed Sacrament. The Eucharist is not only outside the tabernacle, it is perhaps even outside the church itself, as though out for a walk. For all intents and purposes, it’s Adoration on the move.

The scene described above is no fluke or recent innovation by a local parish. It is, in fact, one of the Church’s oldest traditions still practiced worldwide: The Eucharistic procession.

The nature and history of the Eucharistic procession is intimately tied to the Solemnity of Corpus Christi which propagated the practice in the 13th century alongside the general devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Many great saints had a hand in the institution of this feast. St. Juliana of Liège first spread the idea. The man drafted to compose the hymns for the first Mass and procession of Corpus Christi was none other than St. Thomas Aquinas. The songs he wrote for the occasion are still sung at each and every Adoration.

The Solemnity of Corpus Christi introduced the Eucharistic procession as a standard feature of Church life, but the spirit of the practice is far older. In fact, it is mentioned as far back as the fourth century in the writings of Sts. Basil and Ambrose. The spirit of the procession hearkens even further back into the traditions of the Old Testament (c.f. Jos 6:1-20).

The Eucharistic procession is highly versatile and straightforward. It typically begins with Adoration and then, accompanied by servers holding a canopy, a priest or deacon carries around the Sacrament placed in a cross-shaped vessel called the monstrance. The congregation is invited to follow in his steps, singing hymns and praying, until the destination is reached and Adoration continues.

The form of the procession can greatly vary. The monstrance can range in material from plain and simple wood to magnificent gold. The Sacrament can be attended modestly by a handful of people, or by a whole crowd. The full pomp and grandeur of the practice involves incense, banners, crosses, flowers, and a veritable army of attendants in the vanguard, recalling the glory of a Roman triumphal march. Medieval Christians even added performers on mobile stages who would act out Gospel scenes in the train of the procession.

The Eucharistic procession often takes on the flavor of its local culture. In every country, from Brazil to Poland to Ethiopia, the tradition adapts to the social background while retaining the essential reverence at its core. Particularly vibrant communities display the entire range of their skill and inheritance in their celebration.

Even the location of the procession can change. Most often, it simply takes place in or around the church, but there is no strict boundary. Indeed, the procession’s most awe-inspiring instances are when its grandeur is brought out into the town or city. Some parishes in New York can and do take the Sacrament out along the bustling streets of Manhattan. 

The Eucharistic procession is one of the Church’s most ancient and prized practices, shaped and formed by the hands of many of its greatest saints. Its elegant adaptability to circumstance and culture make it one of the most potent traditions at the disposal of Catholics around the world.