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The diocese of Fulda celebrates Corpus Christi with a pontifical mass in the cathedral and a large procession through the city center
Fulda – On Thursday, June 4th, the Diocese of Fulda will celebrate the Solemnity of Corpus Christi with a service at 9 a.m. in Fulda Cathedral, as the diocese announced. The main celebrant of the pontifical mass is Bishop Dr. Michael Gerber. According to the diocese, concelebrants are Auxiliary Bishop Prof. Dr. Karlheinz Diez, bishop emeritus. Heinz Josef Algermissen, Vicar General Dr. Martin Stanke, city priest Stefan Buß and Fr. Cornelius Bohl OFM.
Following the service, the Corpus Christi procession with the monstrance moves through the city center to the parish church. Corpus Christi is one of the traditional high festivals of the Catholic Church; The focus is on the Eucharist, in which Catholics celebrate the presence of Jesus Christ. A visible sign of this is the monstrance with the consecrated host, which is carried through the streets during the procession. Altars will be prepared and decorated along the procession route in the morning, according to the diocese's statement.
This is how the Diocese of Fulda celebrates the Solemnity of Corpus Christi
The procession leads over four altars. At the first altar on Bonifatiusplatz, religious members create the texts. First Communion children from the city parish take part at the second altar on University Square; The flower carpet is laid there by the Florengäßner Brunnenzeche. The texts on the third altar at the butter market are prepared by Caritas, the flower carpet is designed by the family circle of the city parish. At the fourth altar at the city parish church, altar boys and girls from the city parish take over both the texts and the flower carpet. Following the procession, a festival will take place around the town parish church; according to the diocese, the Catholic Workers' Movement (KAB) will take care of the physical well-being.
The musical service in the cathedral will be provided by the Fulda Cathedral Choir under the direction of cathedral music director Franz-Peter Huber. Max Deisenroth plays the organ, Maximilian Happ and Dr. Julia Kim. Philip Schütz and Rüdiger Schemm-Renand also play trumpet and Marshall Lamohr and Christopher Dehl play trombone. The Niesig Music Association under the direction of Volker Schmitt provides musical accompaniment to the procession through the city center. The faithful are asked to bring their own praise to God for the procession if possible, according to the diocese of Fulda.
Bad weather? Blessing walk through the cathedral instead of a procession in the city
There are special regulations in place in the event of bad weather. According to the diocese, if there are any signs of rain the day before, a decision will be made the evening before whether the procession can take place. If the weather is unfavorable, the train through the city is canceled. Instead, following the service in the cathedral, there will be an exposure of the Blessed Sacrament with Eucharistic devotion. This includes a blessing walk through the cathedral: the bishop walks with the monstrance through the central aisle and through the southern and northern side aisles, accompanied by candlesticks and incense. The songs are sung together with the music club.
This gives an outlook Diocese of Fulda also celebrates the Boniface Festival on Sunday, June 7th. Then the diocese celebrates the festival in honor of St. Boniface on the cathedral square. Bishop Dr. Michael Gerber opens this year's Boniface pilgrimages at 9:30 a.m. with a pontifical mass. The Fulda parishes go on a star pilgrimage to the cathedral church; Further walking and cycling pilgrimages come from the Fulda region and beyond. After the service, the diocese invites you to meet, listen to music and eat in the courtyard of the cathedral dean's office and in the cathedral garden.
