We are very glad to share this press release from the Shrine of Corpus Christ Maiden Lane in London, England.
Following on from the success of the 2021 Eucharistic Octave, we once again gather together in the heart of the nation’s capital to honour Our Eucharistic Lord, celebrate the richness of the Catholic Faith, and take to the streets of London to share the message that Christus Vincit!
The week will begin on Saturday 11th June - the vigil of the Most Holy Trinity - at 6pm at Corpus Christi Church, Maiden Lane, Covent Garden - and culminate in a procession of the Blessed Sacrament through the streets of central London on Sunday 19th June, starting at 11 am.
Each evening during this week of prayer and adoration, Holy Mass will be celebrated in a different form at 6.30pm at Corpus Christi, Maiden Lane.
On Monday 13th June Mass will be offered in the Dominican Rite, uniting the Diocesan Shrine of the Holy Rosary, under the care of the Dominicans, with the Diocesan Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament.
On Tuesday, Mar Joseph Srampickal, Bishop of the Syro-Malabar Eparchy in Great Britain, will offer the Holy Qurbana of their Rite.
On Wednesday there will be a Divine Liturgy of Ukrainian Catholic Church by Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski of the Ukrainian Cathedral in London.
On Thursday, the traditional feast of Corpus Christi, there will be a sung Mass in Latin, which will open the annual Quarant’Ore Devotions. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed from 7am until Midnight on the following days.
On Friday, there will be a Solemn Mass for peace, offered in the Ordinariate Use of the Roman Rite, and the preacher will be Mgr Michael Nazir-Ali.
Quarant’Ore will close with a sung Mass on Saturday 18th at 6pm.
On Sunday 19th June, the feast of Corpus Christi in England and Wales, there will be a Pontifical Sung Mass offered by His Excellency, Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, who is the Papal Nuncio to Great Britain. He will then lead a Procession of the Blessed Sacrament around the streets of London, before returning to Maiden Lane for Benediction.
Those unable to attend in person will be able to join the live stream at maidenlane.org.uk/live There is also the opportunity to submit your own prayer intentions and buy candles to burn before Our Lord during the Quarant’Ore by visiting maidenlane.org.uk/forty
The rector of Corpus Christi Church, Maiden Lane, Fr Alan Robinson, said: “Visiting the Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament, waiting for us in the tabernacle of the church and the celebration of Holy Mass, must be the beating heart of the life of every Catholic. For this is the Bread which has come down from Heaven, and is the precious gift of God Himself to us. During this Eucharistic Octave, let us open our hearts and draw ever closer to Him.”
Fr Mark Elliott-Smith, Rector of Our Lady of the Assumption and St Gregory, Warwick Street, said: “Our Lord’s presence in the Blessed Sacrament is a beautiful mystery: the Octave is a wonderful opportunity to renew our love for our Eucharistic Lord, and to let the eyes of faith look lovingly upon Jesus, Saviour and Redeemer of the world.”
Parishes, religious orders and Catholic organisations are invited to publicise this important event on social media and come in great numbers!
Further details of the programme can be found here: www.catholiclondon.org.
