Boże Ciało 2007

The Feast of Corpus Christi celebrates the Real Presence of the body and blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. St. Adalbert Church solemly celebrates this feast day in conjunction with Nativity B.V.M. and Our Lady Help of Christians through a solemn procession of the Eucharist from St. Adalbert Church to the two neighboring parishes and Campbell Square park.

This feast is celebrated in the Latin Church on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday to solemnly commemorate the institution of the Holy Eucharist.

 

The Feast of Corpus Christi (Body of Christ) or Boże Ciało is observed on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday in villages, towns and cities all over Poland. In smaller locations virtually the whole village or town becomes involved in an organised procession through the streets. Householders decorate their windows with religious icons. The traffic is stopped and at midday the procession leaves the Church and the people walk around the streets together stopping on route at various temporary shrines to pray. The shrines are decorated with branches from Birch trees, and members of the procession tear off twigs from these shrines for luck and happiness as they go around the circuit. Young girls dressed in their first communion dresses (which look like white wedding dresses) scatter rose and other flower petals on the streets. These petals are for Christ, who is believed by Catholics to walk the streets with the people during these Corpus Christi processions. Throughout the festival the Priest walks around under some sort of umbrella held up by four or more men from the village or town, while boys swirl burning incense around him.

 

St. Adalbert Church, Philadelphia continues this Polish Catholic tradition each year.