Corpus Christi

This year we were fortunate enough to be able to celebrate Corpus Christi at Orvieto, due to a later Easter and our exams being finished. A coach was arranged, and those who were willing to travel and take part in the procession spent the Sunday in Orvieto.

Orvieto was where the feast of Corpus Christi was instituted in 1264 by Pope Urban IV, who was is resistance at Orvieto at the time. Due to the fact that a Eucharistic miracle took place just down the road at Bolsena, not far from where we went on Friday for our rector's Gita. The miracle artifact is the corporal that was used to celebrate mass by the priest that day. It has traces of blood that dripped from the host as the priest lifted it during the elevation and has been kept in the Orvieto Duomo ever since. Every Corpus Christi it is taken out and paraded around the town and the seminarians studying in Rome are invited to join in the procession.

The start of the procession after mass probably over 100 seminarians 50 preists a couple of bishops and a cardinal.

The front of the line, they went two by two horah horah.

The Duomo is still as impressive as ever.

I was here in December with a few of my class mates but this time it was a lot warmer teperature in the high 20's.

The procession into the cathedral. This was just the priests, the seminarians still to come.

Mass in the Domus, so many seminarians we could not all fit on the altar and the side chapel so we sat in the congregation till the end of mass and the procession out started.

After mass the procession out was led by locals repressing different regions in the area dressed in period costumes.

And they kept coming,

And coming,

After about 45 minutes, of waiting for the procession, it was time for the clergy to leave.

There were many holy people in the procession, some a bit more than others.

( I think my friend did some editing on this one)

After a few laps around town to pass by the other churches and a few blessings said by the clergy.

We arrived back at the Duomo,

for a final veneration and a blessing and that was the end of the ceremonies for the day and it was time for to relax and have some lunch, before heading back to Rome.

What an absolute privilege and an honour to be able to take part in this very special event. It was most certainly something I will remember for the rest of my life. I hope you all had a wonderful feast of Corpus Christi and were able to appreciate the special gift as Catholic's we have in the Eucharist.

The side chapel where the corporal is kept above the tabernacle year round except for today when it is taken out on parade.

The seminarians in prayer after the parade.