CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — On Thursday the Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi kicked off a 10-day celebration of the Feast of Corpus Christi.
It included proclamations from dignitaries and a celebration of the faithful at Corpus Christi Cathedral.
In Latin, Corpus Christi means the body of Christ.
On the Feast of Corpus Christi, Catholics around the world celebrate the body and blood of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.
In the city of Corpus Christi, this day holds special meaning.
"We are in the Diocese of Corpus Christi, we live in the city of Corpus Christi and we are celebrating the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist," said Diocese of Corpus Christi Julie Stark.
In some countries, the Feast of Corpus Christi is considered a national holiday.
Some churches call the holiday the Most Holy Body of Christ or the Day of Wreaths.
The most common ritual is the reception of Holy Communion.
According to the Catholic faith, the consecrated piece of unleavened bread known as the host is synonymous with the body of Christ.
For Catholics, it is a holiday on which they can celebrate their faith.
You're probably wondering if the Feast day of Corpus Christi has anything to do with our city's name.
In fact it does.
According to legend, on the Feast of Corpus Christi in 1519 Spanish explorer Captain Alonzo Alvarez de Pineda discovered a bay in what is now the southern coast of Texas.
He named it Bahia del Cuerpo de Cristo, the Bay of Corpus Christi in honor of the Feast day on which it was discovered.
A statue honoring Captain Alvarez de Pineda stands in his honor at the Agnes and Laredo "Y".
