“Eucharistic processions trace their origins to the Middle Ages, especially after the establishment of the feast of Corpus Christi in the 13th century,” EWTN.com explains. “The feast of Corpus Christi originated at Liège in 1246 and was extended throughout the Church in the West by [Pope] Urban IV in 1264 and commemorates the institution of the holy Eucharist (Matthew 26:26-28).
“As the feast [officially called a solemnity] became widely accepted, Christian faithful began to make public Eucharistic processions, normally after a Mass and along a major route through a town or city. From this beginning, the processions became increasingly splendid parades and even pageants. In some cities, there were also mystery plays performed at the end of the processions. The Council of Trent recommended Eucharistic processions as a public profession of faith in the Real Presence.”
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