The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-06-24
CORPUS CHRISTI.

Oa Thursday last was the day Of the festival Of
Corpus Christi, but the principal ceremocies con-
nected with its celebration were performed yester-
day, as being ''within tle octave" The origin Of
the festival dates back ta the middle of the 18th
century, when the blessed JUlrAxA, and several
pious ecclesiascs Of the diocese Of Liege, labored
to have special festival ess ssbhshed for the wor-
ship Of the Blessed sacramat, and through their
e1ertions an annual festival Vas celebrated by the
most extraordinary pomp. Pipe URBAN w., by q
Bull, dated Sept. 9Th, 1854, Sclared this yearly
festival obligatory on the unhersal Church. At
first the solemnity was CELEBRATED within the
tohurches, and the clergy and laS were to partake
Of it's reioicings. The Office of tbs festival, which
is the most beautiful Of the Romai Breviary, is the
composition Of THOMAS AoURAs.
Catholics every where get up thee professions
with an the pomp and splendor whi4 their means
VII allow them to procure. In Rene the Pope
carries the Blessed Sacrament from b chspel in
thA ysticsn to st. Peters Church yha cIergy;
secular and regular, and the civil and iilitary au-
thorites Of the city take part in this recession.
The feast, being one Of the frstclass iselebrated
during eight days, and every day Of u Octave
these solemn PROFESSIONS are to be see3passing
| through the streets Of Rome. They coAp forth
from the church ON the day Of the Octave {signsd
to eseh; banner, representing the patronaint OF
the church, is carried in the procession The
clergy are robed in rich vestments, psalR and
hymns are sung with solemn chant in the
tongue; the people, as thsY sst The SsSsSs3atn ss
thesreets uncover their heads ana Fslk ssSn IN IN
| the ranks; the houses before which it passelsre
festooned with garlands; beautiful paintings, md
tapestry Of richest color hanging from che
windows, give an appearance OF festiyity andre
joicing to everything around. The PROCESSION
sometimes stops on public square, where an altar
had previously been erected, the blessed sacr.-
ment is incensed, and The benediction is given 10
the multitude, who prostrate themselves in devout
alteration. -',7' - O. I..f.
The French call this festival La tete Die1, or the
feast Of God, and it Is celebrated all over that
Catholic land with regal msgnifcence. The good
taste so Characteristic of that people, is exhibited
in their manner Of organizing these professions
and theif military spirit gives also its peculiar
contribution to the solemnity-the soldiers march
in the procession, the stirring strains of the mar
tial music boldly speak forth the triumph of faith
The altar from which the benediction is given is
sometimes constructed with cannon, and orna-
mented with flags.
In Catholic Germany the festival is denominated
"Fronleichnansstag," and is also observed with
great pomp. The streets over which the process.
sion passes are covered with flowers, shrubs, etc
The entire population, old and young, without e1
ception, Join il the procession, and the effect ii
certainly very imposing. The procession stops a
the several stations" in the villages and in the
fields around, where cruciti1es or images OF tht
Virgin are permanently stationed, and the "gos
pels" are read. The fields and the growing crops
are then "blessed"
There can be no doubt that the peasantry in tht
Catholic countries Of Europe are earnest and de-
vout, not unfrequently enthusiastic, in the OBJ
servance Of these religious rites and duties
the ritual moreover is also well suited to this clasi
OF people. To an observer not to the manor born
however, the entire performance gives proof o
it's ancient heather origin, though in this in
| stance not definitely raceable.