Thursday 3rd June, 7.30pm Sung Mass for the Feast of Corpus Christi. This Feast is a joyful thanksgiving for the gift of Christ Jesus himself in the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

In 2020 a short Service of Prayer, Music & Benediction, was recorded by Fr Nigel & Richard Parker at the West Doors. It was put on the “Friends of St Michael’s” Facebook group on the day, and is also available here.

The Thursday after Trinity Sunday, we celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi with Sung Mass at 7.30pm and a joyful  Procession with the Monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament under an ornate Canopy around Mount Dinham (weather permitting) accompanied by Hymns and the scattering of flower petals.

Hymns: 296, 295,271  + Procession Booklet.  Mass in A minor by Casciolini. Motet Ave verum corpus, Elgar. A pewsheet for this Service is linked from the “Bar” below.

In 2019 – Hymns: 2 of 333: 271; 305 + Procession Booklet.  William Byrd, Mass for 4 voices, and Motet Byrd, Ave verum corpus.

Music for 2018 was Casciolini in A minor and Byrd ‘Ave verum’.

Music for 2017 was by William Byrd (1540-1623), his Mass for 4 voices and Motet ‘Ave verum corpus’.

Our Music in 2016 featured the 16th century Spanish composer Francisco Guerrero with his “Missa Inter Vestibulum” and 6-part Motet “O Sacrum Convivium”.

O sacrum convivium, in quo Christus sumitur; recolitur memoria passionis ejus; mens impletur gratia; et futurae gloriae nobis pignus datur. Alleluia!

O sacred banquet, in which Christ is received, the memory of his Passion is renewed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory to us is given. Alleluia!

Music for 2015 – Setting: Tallis ‘Dorian’ Mass. Anthem: Byrd ‘Ave verum corpus’.

 The Feast of Corpus Christi was first celebrated in Liège, Belgium, in 1246 after some 40 years of lobbying by St Juliana who longed for a feast day outside of Lent in honour of the Blessed Sacrament. It was adopted for the whole Roman church in 1264. Scholars now recognize Juliana as author and composer of an initial sung version of the Latin office. St Thomas Aquinas formalised the Office for Pope Urban IV, leading both to theological developments in doctrine and to growth in his spiritual devotion.