Corpus Christi celebration on Thursday

The feast of Corpus Christi will be celebrated at St Dominic parish church, Valletta, on Thursday, June 4. In preparation for the feast, St Dominic church is holding three days of solemn adoration of the Holy Eucharist known as kwaranturi.

Mass today, tomorrow and on Wednesday will be said at 7am, followed by adoration of the Holy Eucharist all day.

On Wednesday, the parish youth will be holding an adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the evening after Holy Eucharist benediction. Parish priest Michael Camilleri OP is urging parishioners to join youths for this special celebration.

The Maltese word kwaranturi has its origin in the Italian Quarant’Ore and refers to the 40 hours of solemn exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and adoration, programmed over three days.

On Thursday, the feast of Corpus Christi, solemn concelebrated mass by St John Co-Cathedral rector Mgr Paul C. Vella and the Dominican friars will be held at 6.15pm, followed by the procession with the Holy Eucharist. The Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament will lead the procession along the main streets of Valletta. At the end of the procession, the antiphon O Salutaris Hostia and the Tantuum Ergo by Cappella Bugeja will be sung, followed by benediction of the Holy Eucharist.

The feast of Corpus Christi, the solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, was proposed by St Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church, to Pope Urban IV.