Feast of Corpus Christi: Lebanon celebrates 199 years of miraculous Eucharistic event

The procession in Zahle, Lebanon, for the feast of Corpus Christi, May 30, 2024. | Credit: Marwan Semaan

Thousands of Christians flocked to Zahle, Lebanon, on Thursday, May 30, a city nicknamed "The City of 52 Churches," to celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi.

This year's celebration held special significance, marking the 199th anniversary of a miraculous event credited with saving Zahle from a bubonic plague outbreak.

Preparations for the feast began a week prior, culminating in a moving candlelit procession on the eve of Corpus Christi. The procession weaved through the streets of Zahle, starting from St. Elias Al-Touak Monastery and concluding at the Melkite Cathedral of Our Lady of Deliverance. The faithful walked and prayed in unison, led by the stirring sounds of trumpets. The procession culminated in a blessing bestowed by the Melkite Patriarch Youssef al-Absi and Bishop Ibrahim Ibrahim.

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