Corpus Christi

Naxxar parish main altar in preparation for Corpus Christi

In commemoration of the solemn feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, also known as Corpus Christi, I share with you today a photo I took back in 2008 during a procession in the town of Rabat in Malta. During the morning procession in this particular town, the First Communion children also accompany the procession, as do priests, sisters and lay people, followed by a marching band playing Eucharistic hymns.

Procession of Corpus Christi at Rabat, Malta

The Blessed Sacrament is carried by a local pastor, or was the case that year a visiting Bishop, accompanied by members of the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament, seen here in red capes, some of whom carry the baldacchino which is held above the monstrance with the Eucharist, carried by the bishop. The last two photos are not very clear as they were taken from slides I took in the 1990s from the same Rabat parish.

First Communion children

Churches are richly decorated with plenty of candles, tapestries, angels and all the church paraphernalia on display. Each parish in Malta would hold a procession with the Blessed Sacrament, some of them in the morning, others in the late afternoon.

Priests at the same procession of Corpus Christi

This morning my Mass was shown LIVE on local television. I will try to share some photos if I'm able to retrieve some shots which others have taken of the Mass. The chapel was packed and the celebration was very reverent and solemn, yet different from other Maltese Masses people are used to here, including the priest playing the flute with the congregation joining in a beautiful Eucharistic hymn in Maltese 'Tina l-hlewwa ta' l-ilsna tas-sema.' (Give us the sweetness of heavenly tongues)