CORPUS CHRISTI is a special day of thanksgiving for Jesus’ gift of Holy Communion. It is always celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday. It became a universal feast of the church in the Middle Ages and was extremely popular in England – so much so that the Tudor government banned it, early on in the Reformation. This didn’t work and the people of York, the North West, Devon and Cornwall all protested and marched on London. They were confronted by armed forces and were suppressed. However, on returning home many refused to give it up, so it was carried on in secret. It wasn’t until the 1830s-40s that this service was revived. Sadly, the street processions were confined to history. Our service will end as we process out to the gate and bless our village and all who work there.

The Corpus Christi procession of the Blessed Sacrament always included incense, which was carried in a Thurible at the front of the procession. The use of incense was to make a ‘Holy Path’ for Jesus. It would have added to the awe and splendour of the day.

The Jewish people were commanded by God to burn incense in the Jerusalem Temple. It was burned in a large bowl by the Priests as an offering of prayer to God. The Christian Church continued the use of incense, both as a sign of prayer (our prayers rising to God) and as a sign of cleansing to make the people and the things offered to God holy.

So, what happens?

The charcoal will be lit before the service in the Thurible (incense burner). Incense (aromatic resins) will be sprinkled onto the hot charcoal and the Thurifer will lead the Altar Party and Choir to their places.

The Celebrant will cense the Altar, to make it holy for the service. During the Gradual Hymn the Thurifer will approach the Celebrant who adds three spoons of incense to the thurible and blesses it for the Gospel procession. The gospel is censed to make it holy.

During the offertory hymn the Altar is prepared and the Celebrant censes the bread, wine, and Altar to make them holy. The Altar party are then censed, and the Thurifer goes to the Chancel step to cense the congregation, bowing to the people, who, if they wish, can bow back, and the people are then censed.

During the Eucharistic Prayer, the host and chalice are censed when they are elevated for us to see and worship our Lord Jesus. Finally, the Thurifer, followed by the Celebrant carrying the Monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament, leads everyone out into the village for the special blessing of Banstead.