House of worship - Catholics commemorate Corpus Christi with gatherings and parades.
Numerous Catholics in Rhineland-Palatinate and Hessen marked Corpus Christi with Masses and processions on Thursday. In Mainz, followers sought solace in a cathedral service followed by a parade through the old town. The diocese stated that one-third of Rhineland-Palatinate and two-thirds of neighboring Hessen participated. During a brief rain pause, a solemn benediction took place, reportedly. Mainz Bishop Peter Kohlgraf cautioned, "We also experience friction, jealousy, and other manifestations of a lack of community in the church. When we unite to celebrate the Eucharist, let us do so open to embracing deeper togetherness while valuing and shaping the church's variety as a blessing."
Fulda saw a procession with four embellished altars at various locations, vibrant flower carpets, and over 1,200 participants after a grand Mass in the cathedral during a drizzle, per a diocesan declaration. Prior to the ceremony, Fulda Bishop Michael Gerber preached about the uncivilized nature of today's world. People often engage in verbal fights online or physical ones in person. But, according to the diocese's statement, it's more significant to live as those who've experienced the "bread of freedom."
In Speyer, Catholics journeyed from St. Joseph's Church to the cathedral. Bishop Karl-Heinz Wiesemann, according to a press release, remarked, "The uncertainty of these times leads to self-enclosure into one's own echo chambers." Stepping outside promotes empathy and reconciliation. In lieu of "shrinking inward," Christians should "share the bread of life and the wine of festivity," Wiesemann advised.
Corpus Christi was acknowledged as an official church holiday by Pope Urban IV in 1264. The term "Corpus Christi" derives from Middle High German: "fron" is "Lord," and "lichnam" is the living body. Corpus Christi honors the Body and Blood of Christ, a time when Catholics publicly display their commitment to the sacrament of Eucharist. This religious day is observed as a holiday in many states, such as Hessen, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland.
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- The Bishop of Fulda, Michael Gerber, urged his followers to live like those who have experienced the "bread of freedom," during the Corpus Christi procession in Fulda.
- In Mainz, Bishop Peter Kohlgraf highlighted the need for deeper togetherness and valuing the church's variety as a blessing, amidst processions and gatherings for Corpus Christi.
- Catholics in Rhineland-Palatinate and Hessen, including those in Mainz and Fulda, celebrated Corpus Christi with Masses, processions, and services, following Pope Urban IV's recognition of the holiday in 1264.
- In contrast to the online and physical conflicts of today's world, Bishop Karl-Heinz Wiesemann of Speyer encouraged Catholics to "share the bread of life and the wine of festivity," thus promoting empathy and reconciliation during Corpus Christi.
- Corpus Christi, honoring the Body and Blood of Christ, is an official holiday in states like Rhineland-Palatinate, Hessen, and Saarland, and it's a time for Catholics to publicly display their commitment to the sacrament of Eucharist through gatherings and parades.
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