Feast of Christ the King
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates {{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Main other{{#switch:Last Sunday of the Liturgical year,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> or last Sunday in October (Extraordinary Form)|January 1|January 2|January 3|January 4|January 5|January 6|January 7|January 8|January 9|January 10|January 11|January 12|January 13|January 14|January 15|January 16|January 17|January 18|January 19|January 20|January 21|January 22|January 23|January 24|January 25|January 26|January 27|January 28|January 29|January 30|January 31|February 1|February 2|February 3|February 4|February 5|February 6|February 7|February 8|February 9|February 10|February 11|February 12|February 13|February 14|February 15|February 16|February 17|February 18|February 19|February 20|February 21|February 22|February 23|February 24|February 25|February 26|February 27|February 28|February 29|February 30|February 31|March 1|March 2|March 3|March 4|March 5|March 6|March 7|March 8|March 9|March 10|March 11|March 12|March 13|March 14|March 15|March 16|March 17|March 18|March 19|March 20|March 21|March 22|March 23|March 24|March 25|March 26|March 27|March 28|March 29|March 30|March 31|April 1|April 2|April 3|April 4|April 5|April 6|April 7|April 8|April 9|April 10|April 11|April 12|April 13|April 14|April 15|April 16|April 17|April 18|April 19|April 20|April 21|April 22|April 23|April 24|April 25|April 26|April 27|April 28|April 29|April 30|April 31|May 1|May 2|May 3|May 4|May 5|May 6|May 7|May 8|May 9|May 10|May 11|May 12|May 13|May 14|May 15|May 16|May 17|May 18|May 19|May 20|May 21|May 22|May 23|May 24|May 25|May 26|May 27|May 28|May 29|May 30|May 31|June 1|June 2|June 3|June 4|June 5|June 6|June 7|June 8|June 9|June 10|June 11|June 12|June 13|June 14|June 15|June 16|June 17|June 18|June 19|June 20|June 21|June 22|June 23|June 24|June 25|June 26|June 27|June 28|June 29|June 30|June 31|July 1|July 2|July 3|July 4|July 5|July 6|July 7|July 8|July 9|July 10|July 11|July 12|July 13|July 14|July 15|July 16|July 17|July 18|July 19|July 20|July 21|July 22|July 23|July 24|July 25|July 26|July 27|July 28|July 29|July 30|July 31|August 1|August 2|August 3|August 4|August 5|August 6|August 7|August 8|August 9|August 10|August 11|August 12|August 13|August 14|August 15|August 16|August 17|August 18|August 19|August 20|August 21|August 22|August 23|August 24|August 25|August 26|August 27|August 28|August 29|August 30|August 31|September 1|September 2|September 3|September 4|September 5|September 6|September 7|September 8|September 9|September 10|September 11|September 12|September 13|September 14|September 15|September 16|September 17|September 18|September 19|September 20|September 21|September 22|September 23|September 24|September 25|September 26|September 27|September 28|September 29|September 30|September 31|October 1|October 2|October 3|October 4|October 5|October 6|October 7|October 8|October 9|October 10|October 11|October 12|October 13|October 14|October 15|October 16|October 17|October 18|October 19|October 20|October 21|October 22|October 23|October 24|October 25|October 26|October 27|October 28|October 29|October 30|October 31|November 1|November 2|November 3|November 4|November 5|November 6|November 7|November 8|November 9|November 10|November 11|November 12|November 13|November 14|November 15|November 16|November 17|November 18|November 19|November 20|November 21|November 22|November 23|November 24|November 25|November 26|November 27|November 28|November 29|November 30|November 31|December 1|December 2|December 3|December 4|December 5|December 6|December 7|December 8|December 9|December 10|December 11|December 12|December 13|December 14|December 15|December 16|December 17|December 18|December 19|December 20|December 21|December 22|December 23|December 24|December 25|December 26|December 27|December 28|December 29|December 30|December 31=|{{#switch:Last Sunday of the Liturgical year,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> or last Sunday in October (Extraordinary Form)|1 January|2 January|3 January|4 January|5 January|6 January|7 January|8 January|9 January|10 January|11 January|12 January|13 January|14 January|15 January|16 January|17 January|18 January|19 January|20 January|21 January|22 January|23 January|24 January|25 January|26 January|27 January|28 January|29 January|30 January|31 January|1 February|2 February|3 February|4 February|5 February|6 February|7 February|8 February|9 February|10 February|11 February|12 February|13 February|14 February|15 February|16 February|17 February|18 February|19 February|20 February|21 February|22 February|23 February|24 February|25 February|26 February|27 February|28 February|29 February|30 February|31 February|1 March|2 March|3 March|4 March|5 March|6 March|7 March|8 March|9 March|10 March|11 March|12 March|13 March|14 March|15 March|16 March|17 March|18 March|19 March|20 March|21 March|22 March|23 March|24 March|25 March|26 March|27 March|28 March|29 March|30 March|31 March|1 April|2 April|3 April|4 April|5 April|6 April|7 April|8 April|9 April|10 April|11 April|12 April|13 April|14 April|15 April|16 April|17 April|18 April|19 April|20 April|21 April|22 April|23 April|24 April|25 April|26 April|27 April|28 April|29 April|30 April|31 April|1 May|2 May|3 May|4 May|5 May|6 May|7 May|8 May|9 May|10 May|11 May|12 May|13 May|14 May|15 May|16 May|17 May|18 May|19 May|20 May|21 May|22 May|23 May|24 May|25 May|26 May|27 May|28 May|29 May|30 May|31 May|1 June|2 June|3 June|4 June|5 June|6 June|7 June|8 June|9 June|10 June|11 June|12 June|13 June|14 June|15 June|16 June|17 June|18 June|19 June|20 June|21 June|22 June|23 June|24 June|25 June|26 June|27 June|28 June|29 June|30 June|31 June|1 July|2 July|3 July|4 July|5 July|6 July|7 July|8 July|9 July|10 July|11 July|12 July|13 July|14 July|15 July|16 July|17 July|18 July|19 July|20 July|21 July|22 July|23 July|24 July|25 July|26 July|27 July|28 July|29 July|30 July|31 July|1 August|2 August|3 August|4 August|5 August|6 August|7 August|8 August|9 August|10 August|11 August|12 August|13 August|14 August|15 August|16 August|17 August|18 August|19 August|20 August|21 August|22 August|23 August|24 August|25 August|26 August|27 August|28 August|29 August|30 August|31 August|1 September|2 September|3 September|4 September|5 September|6 September|7 September|8 September|9 September|10 September|11 September|12 September|13 September|14 September|15 September|16 September|17 September|18 September|19 September|20 September|21 September|22 September|23 September|24 September|25 September|26 September|27 September|28 September|29 September|30 September|31 September|1 October|2 October|3 October|4 October|5 October|6 October|7 October|8 October|9 October|10 October|11 October|12 October|13 October|14 October|15 October|16 October|17 October|18 October|19 October|20 October|21 October|22 October|23 October|24 October|25 October|26 October|27 October|28 October|29 October|30 October|31 October|1 November|2 November|3 November|4 November|5 November|6 November|7 November|8 November|9 November|10 November|11 November|12 November|13 November|14 November|15 November|16 November|17 November|18 November|19 November|20 November|21 November|22 November|23 November|24 November|25 November|26 November|27 November|28 November|29 November|30 November|31 November|1 December|2 December|3 December|4 December|5 December|6 December|7 December|8 December|9 December|10 December|11 December|12 December|13 December|14 December|15 December|16 December|17 December|18 December|19 December|20 December|21 December|22 December|23 December|24 December|25 December|26 December|27 December|28 December|29 December|30 December|31 December=|}}}}{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox holiday with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| alt | begins | caption | celebrations | date | date2007 | date2008 | date2009 | date2010 | date2011 | date2012 | date2013 | date2014 | date2015 | date2016 | date2017 | date2018 | date2019 | date2020 | date2021 | date2022 | date2023 | date2024 | date2025 | date2026 | date2026 | date2027 | date2028 | date2029 | date2030 | duration | ends | firsttime | frequency | holiday_name | image | image_size | imagesize | lasttime | litcolor | longtype | mdy | month | nickname | observances | observedby | official_name | relatedto | scheduling | significance | startedby | type | week_ordinal | weekday | module}}
The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, commonly referred to as the Feast of Christ the King, Christ the King Sunday or Reign of Christ Sunday,<ref name="Moravian2012"/> is a feast in the liturgical year which emphasises the true kingship of Christ. The Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, Moravian, Methodist, Nazarene, Reformed and United Protestant churches celebrate the Feast of Christ the King.
The feast emphasises the true kingship of Christ after the upheavals resulting from the First World War and the end of all four major monarchies in mainland EuropeTemplate:Cn. It was meant to respond to the rise of atheism and secularization.<ref>https://www.usccb.org/committees/religious-liberty/solemnity-christ-king-background</ref> For the Roman Rite, it was instituted by Pope Pius XI. In 1970, its observance was moved from end of October to the last Sunday of Ordinary Time and thus to the end of the liturgical year. The Methodist, Anglican and Presbyterian Churches often observe this as part of the liturgical season of Kingdomtide, which runs between the Fourth Sunday before Advent and the Feast of Christ the King. The earliest date on which the Feast of Christ the King can occur is 20 November and the latest is 26 November. It heralds the end of Ordinary Time, which continues up until the First Sunday of Advent. Depending on the year, Saint Andrew's Day, significant in some cultures, may fall prior to the First Sunday of Advent.
It is contained in the Revised Common Lectionary.<ref>Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings Proposed by the Consultation on Common Texts, Augsburg Fortress, 2005, pp. 304–305, Template:ISBN</ref> It is also observed on the same computed date as the last Sunday of the Liturgical year, the Sunday before the First Sunday of Advent, by Western Rite parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.<ref>Fraternity of St. Gregory the Great calendar</ref> Roman Catholics adhering to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite use the General Roman Calendar of 1960 and continue to observe the Solemnity on the date established in 1925, the last Sunday in October.
Origin in patristics
Template:Further According to Cyril of Alexandria, Christ "has dominion over all creatures, a dominion not seized by violence nor usurped, but by his essence and by nature. His kingship is founded upon the hypostatic union. From this it follows not only that Christ is to be adored by angels and men, but that to him as man angels and men are subject, and must recognize his empire; by reason of the hypostatic union Christ has power over all creatures."<ref name=quas>Pope Pius XI, Quas primas, Nr. 7, Libreria Editrice Vaticana</ref>
The Feast of Christ the King has an eschatological dimension, pointing to the end of time when the kingdom of Jesus will be established in all its fullness to the ends of the earth.
Observance
Roman Catholic Church
Pope Pius XI, who wanted to crown the jubilee year of 1925 by the institution by the introduction of a new feast to honour the kingship of Christ instituted the Feast of Christ the King (Festum Domini nostri Jesu Christi regis)<ref>Anselm Schott OSB, Das Meßbuch der heiligen Kirche, Verlag Herder Freiburg, 1952, p. 366</ref> with his encyclical Quas primas<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> of 1925, in response to growing secularism and secular ultra-nationalism, and in the context of the unresolved Roman Question.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
In November 1926, Pope Pius XI gave his direct assent for the priest of a promising young parish in Mount Lookout, Cincinnati, to establish the first church dedicated to Christ under the title of King. In May 1927, a purpose-built sanctuary was consecrated. 1956 saw the construction of the current church, led by the architect Edward J. Schulte.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The campus is an unapologetic love letter to its royal namesake, featuring a towering Byzantine mosaic of Christ, crowned and robed, above the high altar where Catholic practice usually expects a crucifix (most Protestant institutions simply employ symbolic crosses). This instance illustrates a marked change of tone that arose as a product of the Vatican's endorsement of this feast and the associated devotional.
The date was established as the last Sunday of the month of October, the Sunday which immediately precedes the Feast of All Saints.<ref>Pope Pius XI, Quas primas, Nr. 28, Libreria Editrice Vaticana</ref>
In his motu proprio Mysterii Paschalis of 1969, Pope Paul VI amended the title of the Feast to Domini Nostri Iesu Christi universorum Regis (Our Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe). He also moved it to the last Sunday of the liturgical year. Through this choice of date "the eschatological importance of this Sunday is made clearer".<ref>Calendarium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1969), p. 63</ref> The feast was assigned the highest rank of solemnity.<ref>motu proprio Mysterii Paschalis</ref> The liturgical vestments for the day are white.
In the extraordinary form, as happens with all Sundays whose liturgies are replaced by those of important feasts,Template:NoteTag the prayers of the Sunday on which the celebration of the feast of Christ the King occurs are used on the ferias (weekdays) of the following week. The Sunday liturgy is thus not totally omitted.
Since 2021, the diocesan-level celebrations of World Youth Day have taken place on the Solemnity of Christ the King.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The most common breviary of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, published by the Basilian Fathers, contains propers for the "Feast of Christ the King" which is celebrated on the last Sunday in October or on the fifth Sunday before the Nativity of our Lord.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Moravian Church
In the Moravian Church, Reign of Christ Sunday is the feast marking the end of Pentecostide.<ref name="Moravian2012">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White is the liturgical colour associated with the Reign of Christ.<ref name="Moravian2012"/>
Lutheran Churches
In the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Sweden and the Church of Finland, this day is referred to as Judgement Sunday, previously highlighting the final judgement, though after the Swedish Lectionary of 1983 the theme of the day was amended to the Return of Christ. A distinct season of Kingdomtide is or has been observed by a number of churches on the four Sundays before Advent, either officially or semi-officially.
In the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, this day is referred to as "Christ the King Sunday", or, alternatively, the "Realm of Christ/Reign of Christ" Sunday, and is observed on the last Sunday of the liturgical year.
Anglican Churches
In the Church of England, the Feast of Christ the King falls on "the Sunday next before Advent",<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> when "[t]he year that begins with the hope of the coming Messiah ends with the proclamation of his universal sovereignty."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In the Episcopal Church (United States), Christ the King Sunday "is unofficially celebrated in some Episcopal parishes, but it is not mentioned in the Episcopal calendar of the church year."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> However, the collect for that Sunday, which mentions Jesus as "King of kings and Lord of Lords" indicates an affinity with the feast day, something that has led to its wider celebration within the Episcopal Church.
Reformed Churches
The Continental Reformed Churches, such as the Christian Reformed Church in North America, assign the following hymns to be used on the Feast of Christ the King: "Crown Him with Many Crowns", "Lo! He comes with clouds descending", and "Rejoice, the Lord Is King".<ref name="Meeter">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In the Presbyterian Churches, such as the Presbyterian Church (USA), at the Feast of Christ the King (Feast of the Reign of Christ) "the church gives thanks and praise for sovereignty of Christ, who is Lord of all creation and is coming again in glory to reign (see Revelation 1:4-8)."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In the United Church of Christ, a Congregationalist denomination, the Feast of Christ the King is the last Sunday of the liturgical season known as the Time of the Church.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Methodist Churches
The Feast of Christ the King is observed in the Methodist Churches, such as the United Methodist Church, as the last Sunday of the liturgical season of Kingdomtide.<ref name="Baber2017">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="FCOO2013">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The season of Kingdtomtide itself starts on Trinity Sunday and culminates in the Feast of Christ the King.<ref name="FCOO2013"/> Some Methodist parishes have been dedicated to Christ the King.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
United Protestant Churches
In United Protestant Churches, such as the United Church of Canada, Uniting Church of Australia, Church of North India, Church of Pakistan and Church of South India, the Feast of Christ the King (Reign of Christ), is observed as the last Lord's Day of the liturgical calendar.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
See also
Explanatory notes
References
Further reading
- Pope Benedict XVI, "Pope Benedict: Angelus for the feast of Christ the King", News.VATemplate:Webarchive
External links
Template:Liturgical year of the Catholic Church Template:Authority control
- Infobox holiday fixed day
- Infobox holiday fixed day (2)
- Infobox holiday (other)
- Pages with broken file links
- Catholic holy days
- Christ the King
- Christian Sunday observances
- Church of Sweden
- Festivals established in 1925
- Holidays and observances by scheduling (nth weekday of the month)
- November observances
- October observances
- Pope Pius XI
- Recurring events established in 1925