The Probert Encyclopaedia of General Information

CORPUS CHRISTI

Corpus Christi is the festival in the Roman Catholic Church held on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday. Corpus Christi means 'body of Christ', and takes the form of the consecrated host at the Lord's supper, which, according to the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, is changed by the act of consecration into the real body of Christ. This doctrine caused the adoration of the consecrated host, and hence the Roman Catholic Church has ordained for the host a particular festival, called the Corpus Christi feast. It was established as a general festival in 1264 by a bull of Pope Urban IV. It commemorates the institution of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper and among Roman Catholics is the occasion of outdoor processions.
Research Corpus Christi