A look into the process and celebration of the Corpus Christi holiday.

By Jason Huynh
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In Madrid , Spain, Corpus Christi is one of the most anticipated holidays in Christianity. The festival of Corpus Christi, Latin for Body of Christ, is celebrated by Roman Catholics and other Christians to proclaim the truth of the Eucharist, the conversion of bread and wine into the actual body of Christ.

            Madrid holds a mass outside the Cathedral of Almudena, followed by a procession carrying a consecrated wafer through the streets of the city as a public statement that Christ was sacrificed for the world. Madrid observes the festival as a religious holiday, and the procession is usually led by the King or Queen of Spain, to signify the unity of sacred and secular powers. This year, however, due to the recent coronation of King Felipe VI, no arrangements were made for him to join the procession. The festival is usually celebrated on the Thursday following Pentecost, but was postponed to the following Sunday due Felipe’s coronation.