All about the feast of Corpus Christi:

“The medicine of Immortality” was how St. Ignatius of Antioch referred to the Eucharist while Thomas Aquinas considered it to be the greatest of all sacraments. Given its pre-eminent status, it seems only fitting that the Church has a feast day called Corpus Christi to specifically celebrate the Eucharist. Corpus Christi is traditionally observed on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday and this year falls on June 7th.

Monsignor John Kennedy is an official at the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith and he tells us more about the history and importance of the Corpus Christi feast, as well as its prayers, and the main customs and traditions associated with this feast day.

Listen to Susy Hodges' interview with Monsignor Kennedy:

Monsignor Kennedy says this feast is "extremely significant for the Church" as the Church has always taught that "the Eucharist is the central aspect of the Church's life ... and is the "most august or the most special sacrament."

He goes on to say that one of his "earliest memories" from his childhood "is taking part in the Corpus Christi procession" , wearing his Holy Communion clothes. Monsignor Kennedy says Pope Benedict aptly summed up the meaning of this feast day in a discourse in 2008 using three key words: "gathering, walking and kneeling... we gather around the altar of the Lord, we walk with the Lord and we kneel before the Lord in adoration."