The Solemnity of Christ the King: A Century of Celebration

By Rietta Parker, Contributing Writer

Header image via St. Mark’s Basilica, Venice

1925 was a significant year in the Catholic Church. Much like 2025, it was marked by a Jubilee focusing on peace and reconciliation post-WWI and by notable saint canonizations (St. Thérèse of Lisieux, St. John Vianney) and deaths (St. Pier Giorgio Frassati). St. Faustina was living out her sainthood at the time and has an entry about her experience during Mass on the Feast of Christ the King in Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy in My Soul: “I was so enveloped in the great fire of God’s love and the desire to save souls that I do not know how to express it. I feel I am all aflame” (298). A similar entry, written after a significant confession, felt especially pertinent to this feast: 

My wings have been set free for flight, and I yearn to soar into the very fire of the sun. My flight will not come to an end until I rest in Him forever. When we fly very high, all the vapors, mists, and . . . clouds are beneath our feet, and our whole carnal being is necessarily subject to the spirit. (108-117) 

So, what does it mean to “fly very high,” as St. Faustina puts it? To fly above the “vapors” is to courageously set yourself free of societal norms in Christ’s honor. In merging the celebration of the Feast of Christ the King with this aspiration of St. Faustina’s, we can look at the world today and how we can help alter it for good within our own communities and homes. 

. . . This state of things may perhaps be attributed to a certain slowness and timidity in good people, who are reluctant to engage in conflict or oppose but a weak resistance.
(Pope Pius XI’s Quas Primas, #24)

When addressing the Feast of Christ the King, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops discusses the current pull of society on Catholics to hide our faith and to live it privately, separating it from our public lives. 

There should be no such possibility as members of the Body of Christ. There are always appropriate opportunities, even obligations, as Catholics to express our faith openly to others. 

When colleagues ask about your weekend plans, mention Mass. During the week, mention your Bible study. Talk about why you go and what you love about it. Invite them. You never know what your invitation and openness could do for another soul, and by being open in your faith, you are consistently keeping Christ’s kingship at the forefront of your public sphere. Personally, my husband and I have been surprised by the number of colleagues over the years who have been interested in learning more about our faith and wanted to attend Mass with us. 

In the same vein, if you are a student or young adult who is in a season of life where you are going on trips with people of all different backgrounds, it is your obligation and opportunity to be a witness to your faith. Live out your obedience to Christ’s kingship by being open about your need and desire to attend Holy Mass on Sunday. Some of my favorite college memories are when members of my university’s show choir took turns walking me to Mass in foreign countries and busy, bustling cities on our tour trips. If anything, for that person going with you, it is an adventure and usually an opportunity to witness Holy Mass in some historic and breathtaking churches. Ultimately, you remain true to yourself and to Christ by initiating these sometimes awkward, difficult conversations with friends and colleagues when the situation arises. 

 . . . no peace in the home, because men have forgotten or neglect their duty; the unity and stability of the family undermined . . . (Quas Primas, #24) 

As much as this feast day focuses on publicly reinstating Christ as King, His kingship must first already be honored within our own homes. As Pope St. John Paul II once said in a homily, “The family is the ‘first and vital cell of society.’ . . . The future of the world and of the Church, therefore, passes through the family” (#3). If you are a leader within your family, you have a duty to lead by faithful example within your home. If you are younger and not in a position of familial leadership, focus on your own personal obedience to Christ and the Church’s teachings so that if and when you become a familial leader, you are able to guide your family to the Truth. If needed, reinstate a more vigorous daily prayer life and allot time for reading Scripture. As always, receive the sacraments frequently and, of course, when obligatory.

Publicly honoring Christ as King transcends the private sector when pondering how you decorate your home exteriorly and interiorly. If your home is not already obviously the home of a faithful, Catholic family, how can you make it so? Exteriorly, you can make a Marian garden, hang the Sacred Heart flag from your flag pole on feast days and first Fridays, or even review your family’s Christmas decorations as we approach the holiday. Are they all secular? This ostracizing of Christ can happen frequently and accidentally amid current marketing propaganda. Add little Catholic touches throughout your home. It doesn’t have to be expensive. There are many thrift stores that resell Catholic home decor. One of my family’s favorite crucifixes is from a thrift store and proudly hangs in our foyer. You could also make Catholic arts and crafts with your kids/siblings and hang them about the house. Be creative and have fun! 

 . . . by public adoration of the Blessed Sacrament exposed and by solemn processions, men unite in paying homage to Christ, whom God has given them for their King. It is by a divine inspiration that the people of Christ bring forth Jesus from his silent hiding-place in the church, and carry him in triumph through the streets of the city, so that he whom men refused to receive when he came unto his own, may now receive in full his kingly rights. (Quas Primas, #26) 

In the last few years, an invigorating Eucharistic Revival has been on the rise as an attempt to combat apathy, agnosticism, and a general disbelief among practicing Catholics in the True Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. How fitting that Pope Pius XI 100 years ago in his encyclical on the Feast of Christ the King specifically mentioned the importance of lifting Jesus up physically. 

Here are a few ways you can tangibly honor the Feast of Christ the King with a focus on the Eucharist: 

• Attend Perpetual Adoration on the feast day and more regularly incorporate it into your schedule. Most parishes offer monthly, weekly, or even daily Perpetual Adoration. If the parishes near you don’t offer any of these, inquire about starting one.
  
• See any parish near you is hosting a Eucharistic Procession soon. If you’re in college, check with your college’s Catholic student organization. If they haven’t hosted a procession, inquire about starting one. It’s not too late to host one in honor of this feast!
  
• Check the website for the 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage here. See if the pilgrimage is coming to a city near you next summer. If you’re a young adult feeling particularly inspired, look into applying to become a Perpetual Pilgrim. Perpetual Pilgrims accompany Jesus across the entire summer tour.  

We firmly hope, however, that the feast of the Kingship of Christ, which in future will be yearly observed, may hasten the return of society to our loving Savior. It would be the duty of Catholics to do all they can to bring about this happy result . . . (Quas Primas #24) 

The Feast of Christ the King can oftentimes be overlooked as it is bookended by major holidays. In the US, we’re focused on Thanksgiving plans, and all Catholics are gearing up for Advent and Christmas. In such a busy time of year, it can feel impossible to add one more intentional celebration to the list. But in our busiest seasons, the Lord is begging us to slow down and sit with Him for a while, to include Him in our aspirations, excitement, and plans. Make sure you are “flying high above the vapors” this holiday season and freely expressing your faith. Take this feast day as a perfect opportunity to remember that above all the noise and chaos, Christ is our King. 

But if the faithful were generally to understand that it behooves them ever to fight courageously under the banner of Christ their King, then, fired with apostolic zeal, they would strive to win over to their Lord those hearts that are bitter and estranged from him, and would valiantly defend his rights. (Quas Primas, #24) 

Prayer to Christ the King

O Christ Jesus, I acknowledge Thee
to be the King of the universe:
all that has been made is created for Thee.
Exercise over me all Thy sovereign rights.

I hereby renew the promises of my Baptism,
renouncing Satan and all his works and pomps,
and I engage myself to lead henceforth a truly Christian life.
And in an especial manner do I undertake to bring about
the triumph of the rights of God
and Thy Church, so far as in me lies.

Divine Heart of Jesus, I offer Thee
my poor actions to obtain the acknowledgment
by every heart of Thy sacred Kingly power.
In such wise may the kingdom of Thy peace
be firmly established throughout all the earth.

Amen.

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Rietta Parker holds a BS in secondary English education and an MA in English-Creative Writing from Auburn University. She writes fiction, poetry, reflections, and prayers. Her work has been published in Bridge: Bluffton University’s Literary Journal, Quiet Lightning, and Poet’s Choice. In 2020, her reflection on being at home in the Church was featured in The Catholic Woman’s “Portrait of a Catholic Woman” social media campaign. She’s a member of the Catholic Writers Guild where she serves as an anthology and blog editor. When she isn’t teaching or writing, she loves to sing, dance, and act.