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The 750th Feast of Corpus Christi: Jubilee in Benediktbeuern

2023-06-07T07:12:22.880Z

Highlights: Corpus Christi procession in Benediktbeuern is one of the oldest in Bavaria at 750 years old. This is the feast of devotion to the Body of Christ, in which the Blessed Sacrament is guided through the streets in the form of the transformed host. In the Baroque period, the festival developed into a magnificent procession, for which many portable altars, flags, crosses and lanterns were purchased. To this day, they form the setting for one of most magnificent processions in the Oberland.



The Corpus Christi procession in Benediktbeuern is one of the oldest in Bavaria at 750 years old. The photo shows the canopy with the Blessed Sacrament, accompanied by the Antlass- und Gebirgsschützenkompanie Benediktbeuern/Ried in the monastery courtyard. © Kolley Germering

This Thursday, the Benedictine Corpus Christi celebrates its 750th anniversary. The procession is considered one of the oldest and most magnificent in Bavaria.

Benediktbeuern – Corpus Christi. This is the feast of devotion to the Body of Christ, in which the Blessed Sacrament is guided through the streets in the form of the transformed host. Going back to a vision of the nun Julia of Liège in 1209, who interpreted a lunar disk with a dark spot as a missing feast in the church year, the feast was confirmed by Pope Urban IV in 1246.

It is questionable whether one can actually speak of 750 years of Corpus Christi procession

Just 27 years later – in 1273 and thus 750 years ago – the monks of Benediktbeuern Monastery are said to have set out on a first Corpus Christi procession with the Blessed Sacrament. At least that's what can be seen from the parish archives in Benediktbeuern. However, it is questionable whether one can actually speak of 750 years of Corpus Christi procession in Benediktbeuern, writes sacristan Christian Höck in an article in the latest Benediktbeurer parish letter. The fact that the procession in the monastery village is the oldest of its kind in Bavaria – as is often claimed – cannot be confirmed. In any case, it is "one of the oldest processions in Bavaria".

Benediktbeuren's historian Father Leo Weber always spoke of a "Corpus Christi tradition"

In addition, it is not known what the first procession in Benediktbeuern looked like. Perhaps it was not so much a procession as a service with a special Eucharistic character. The Benedictine historian Father Leo Weber had therefore always spoken of a "Corpus Christi tradition" that was cultivated in the monastery town.

Testimony: The document with the permission to carry out a Corpus Christi procession is still in the monastery. © Kolley Germering

It is historically documented that on 7 May 1273 a document was issued by Bishop Hartmann of Augsburg to the Benediktbeuern Monastery. This shows that the feast of Corpus Christi may be celebrated in the monastery town. In any case, this is the oldest documentary mention of a Corpus Christi festival in southern Germany, Höck writes in the parish letter. The document is still in the monastery, as the sacristan told us some time ago in an interview with the Tölzer Kurier.

Up to 1200 participants in the procession

Especially in the Baroque period, the festival developed into a magnificent procession, for which many portable altars, flags, crosses and lanterns were purchased. To this day, they form the setting for one of the most magnificent processions in the Oberland. The procession follows clear rules. Divided into 25 areas, starting with the altar servers and the children and young people, follow the clubs and the two rifle companies, which also carry the Anastasia portable altar and the "heaven" with the Blessed Sacrament. Afterwards, the religious, the women in traditional costume and then all the other faithful leave.

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A few years ago, 1200 participants were counted in the procession, praying and singing together through the village, Höck said. Another special feature is that two processions are held in Benediktbeuern. This year, too, the faithful in the monastery village want to set off again for the two Corpus Christi processions - and thus continue a tradition that is "one of the most beautiful festivals in the church year" for Mesner Höck with the ringing of the Benedictine bell on Corpus Christi Eve at 18 p.m.

Corpus Christi is celebrated twice

In Benediktbeuern, the feast of Corpus Christi is celebrated twice: the first time on Thursday, 8 June, with a festive service and the Corpus Christi procession. It starts at 8 a.m. in the basilica. Another procession to Bichl will take place on Sunday, June 11. Here, too, the festivities begin with a service at 8 a.m. in the basilica.

You can find even more up-to-date news from the region at Merkur.de/Bad Tölz.

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2023-06-07

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