Feast of Christ the King

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." 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 introduction of a new feast to honour the kingship of Christ, instituted the Feast of Christ the King (Festum Domini nostri Jesu Christi regis) with his encyclical Quas primas of 1925, in response to growing secularism and secular ultra-nationalism, and in the context of the unresolved Roman Question. 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. 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. 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". The feast was assigned the highest rank of solemnity. 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, 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. 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. Moravian Church In the Moravian Church, Reign of Christ Sunday is the feast marking the end of Pentecostide. White is the liturgical colour associated with the Reign of Christ. when "[t]he year that begins with the hope of the coming Messiah ends with the proclamation of his universal sovereignty." 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." 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". 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)." 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. 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 Season after Pentecost.The Season after Pentecost itself starts on Trinity Sunday and culminates in the Feast of Christ the King. Some Methodist congregations have been named Christ the King. 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. == See also ==