Orvieto is a nearby respite from the hustle and bustle of Rome. Don’t get me wrong, I think that Rome is one of the most amazing cities on earth, but sometimes it’s nice to get away from the scent of garbage trucks, cigarette smoke, and humidity. Located in Umbria, just one hour from Rome by train, Orvieto provides a peaceful, quiet, old-world vibe. It is known for its picturesque landscape of rolling hills and valleys, and was built upon a large volcanic cliff with ancient, defensive walls surrounding it. Ascending the rock feels like moving away from modernity and into a piece of history.
The Saint Thomas Aquinas Connection
In the thirteenth century, Orvieto was home to several churches, monasteries, and convents. Saint Thomas Aquinas himself lived in Orvieto from 1261 to 1265, where he taught at a Dominican convent, worked on his summary of Christian doctrine, Summa Contra Gentiles, and wrote the liturgy for Corpus Christi, including his pieces Panis Angelicus, O Salutaris Hostia, Tantum Ergo, and Adoro Te Devote (which was originally written for private devotion).
The Construction of Duomo of Orvieto
Upon approaching the city center, the sight of the Duomo di Orvieto begins to tower over you. Construction for this Italian Gothic-style cathedral began in 1290 and was dedicated to Saint Mary of the Assumption. It was built to replace two deteriorating churches in the city, but the building of it was also prompted by the Miracle of Bolsena.
The Miracle of Bolsena
About thirty years earlier, in 1263, a German priest, Father Peter of Prague, was on pilgrimage to Rome. On his way, he stopped in Bolsena, an Italian town very close to Orvieto. Peter made this journey during a time in his life when he was really struggling to believe in Jesus’ True Presence in the Eucharist, yet despite his doubts, he continued to celebrate the Mass faithfully. Then, while celebrating Mass at the Basilica Church of Saint Christina in Bolsena, he witnessed a Eucharistic miracle right before his eyes. As he lifted up the Host during consecration, blood began flowing out of it and onto both his hands and the altar cloth.
When Father Peter shared this experience with Pope Urban IV, who was staying at the papal palace in Orvieto, Pope Urban enshrined the blood-stained cloth in the cathedral. It is still there today in the Chapel of the Corporal. It is believed that this is what prompted Pope Urban to request that Saint Thomas Aquinas write prayers for a Mass which would celebrate the Body and Blood of Christ and be prayed on the Feast of Corpus Christi, which is also called the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.
Saint Juliana of Liege + Corpus Christi
The Feast of Corpus Christi was instituted in 1264, to be celebrated on the Thursday of the Pentecost Octave. In the decree establishing this feast, Pope Urban IV also included the name of a mystic who had strong connections to the rise of this feast, Sister Juliana of Liege who died in Belgium in 1258.
In one of Benedict XVI’s General Audiences, he spoke of this little known name who “contributed to the institution of one of the most important solemn Liturgies of the year.” When she was a teenager she had recurring visions of the moon with a stripe across it. In prayer, the Lord showed the following to her:
The moon symbolized the life of the Church on earth, the opaque line, on the other hand, represented the absence of a liturgical feast for whose institution Juliana was asked to plead effectively: namely, a feast in which believers would be able to adore the Eucharist so as to increase the faith, to advance in the practice of the virtues and to make reparation for offences to the Most Holy Sacrament."
Before Pope Urban IV became pope, Sister Juliana shared this vision with him. That, together with the miracle experienced by Father Peter and shared with Pope Urban, established the Feast of Corpus Christi. This solemnity is often celebrated with a Eucharistic procession following Jesus’ Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity being lifted high in the monstrance.
Why We Process on Corpus Christi
In Pope Benedict XVI’s 2008 Corpus Christi homily, he spoke of the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ as having three actions:
- Gathering around the altar of the Lord, joining together in His presence
- Walking with the Lord
- Kneeling before the Lord
I love these three descriptions of processing with Jesus in the Eucharist and the words of encouragement from Pope Benedict XVI:
Without the God-with-us, the God who is close, how can we stand up to the pilgrimage through life, either on our own or as society and the family of peoples? The Eucharist is the Sacrament of the God who does not leave us alone on the journey but stays at our side and shows us the way."
Reflecting upon this, it makes so much sense why there is so much power in walking with the Lord in a Eucharistic procession. It’s not just the “walking with” Jesus, but the “gathering” together in community. Matthew 18:20 reads, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” The feeling of community and family is strong when our parish comes together to worship Jesus, especially when we do it in such a visible way, processing through the neighborhood. Here, in this humble act of reverence, the Holy Spirit moves in our souls and reminds us that God is indeed with us.
THE GREATEST GIFT
In this study on the Eucharist, we explore the truth that Jesus is the answer to your every need.
Join us as we explore John chapter 6 to learn how the reality of the Holy Eucharist applies to our lives.
Discover what a gift He is.
Susanna Parent is a regular contributor to the BIS blog, speaker and a freelance writer. While a Wisconsin native, she now begins her mornings brewing French press coffee in the home she shares with her husband and children in the Twin Cities. When the sun sets, you’ll find her with friends enjoying a glass of red wine, preferably outside underneath twinkly lights. When not exploring all that the Twin Cities has to offer, she is indulging her wanderlust spirit by brainstorming their family's next new adventure. You can find out more about her here. Read all of Susanna's posts here.
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