All systems go for annual Corpus Christi Procession in Tullamore
Catholic Procession has been a feature of life in parish since 1927
TULLAMORE Catholic Parish continues its tradition of a public procession through the streets of the town to mark the feast of Corpus Christi this year. The procession has been a feature of parish life since 1927.
The procession will take place again this year on Saturday, June 21, after the 6.30pm Mass in the Church of the Assumption. The proposed route for the procession includes Store Street, Harbour Street, Colmcille Street, Church Street, O'Carroll Street and ending in the church yard on Harbour Street.
The feast of Corpus Christi itself is important in the Christian tradition because it focuses specifically on the Holy Eucharist, emphasizing the true presence, body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ within.
Readers may be interested to know that the feast was originally proposed by that great doctor of the Catholic faith, Thomas Aquinas to pope Urban IV. Pope Urban had recognized the authenticity of the eucharistic miracle of Bolsena and established the feast of Corpus Christi as a Solemnity in 1264.
The miracle at Bolsena occured in 1273 and was recognised by the church after a consecrated host was seen to bleed during Holy Mass as it was being celebrated by a German priest on his way to pilgrimage in Rome. The miraculous host of Bolsena is preserved today in the Cathedral of Orvieto in Italy.
Other Eucharistic miracles in which the consecrated host has been seen to bleed have been reported at locations worldwide such as Venezuela 1991, 3 occasions in Argentina, 1992, 1994 and 1996, India 2001, Poland 2008 and 2013, Mexico 2006.
Scientific tests carried out on some of these have confirmed the presence of human blood and heart tissue which cannot be explained by science.
The feast of Corpus Christi is liturgically celebrated after Trinity Sunday, hence this year's procession takes place on the evening before (vigil of) Sunday, June 22.
All parishioners are most welcome and encouraged to take part in this solemn and prayerful celebration of Jesus presence in the Eucharist.