Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

 Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

EPL- INFORMATION FOR YOUR BUILDING SOUL

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Pope Pius XI instituted the Feast of Christ the King in his 1925 encyclical letter Quas primas, in response to growing nationalism and secularism^[2] and in the context of the unresolved Roman Question. The title of the feast was "D. N. Jesu Christi Regis" (Our Lord Jesus Christ the King), and the date was "the last Sunday of the month of October - the Sunday, that is, which immediately precedes the Feast of All Saints".^[3] In Pope John XXIII's 1960 revision of the Calendar, the date and title remained the same and, in the new simpler ranking of feasts, it was classified as a feast of the first class.

In his 1969 motu proprio Mysterii Paschalis, Pope Paul VI gave the celebration a new title: "D. N. Iesu Christi universorum Regis" (Our Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe). He also gave it a new date: the last Sunday in the liturgical year, before a new year begins with the First Sunday in Advent, the earliest date for which is 27 November. Through this choice of date "the eschatologicalimportance of this Sunday is made clearer".^[4] He assigned to it the highest rank, that of "Solemnity".^[5]

As happens with all Sundays whose liturgies are replaced by those of important feasts,^[6] the prayers of the Sunday on which the celebration of Christ the King falls are used on the ferias (weekdays) of the following week. The Sunday liturgy is thus not totally omitted.

In 2015, this feast day falls on 22 November^[7] (or 25 October^[8] for those using the traditional calendar). The liturgical vestments for the day are colored white or gold, in keeping with other joyous feasts honoring Christ.

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