40 Hours Eucharistic Devotions

Today our parish begins her  annual retreat: her annual Eucharistic Devotions - commonly called "40 Hours."  Why is it called "40 Hours?"  To honor the forty hours that the body of Christ rested in the tomb, the Blessed Sacrament is solemnly exposed for this period of time, during which public services, private meditation and prayer take place.  This devotion developed in the 16^th Century.  The exact period of forty hours' exposition, in practice, is not strictly adhered to.  The Holy See granted an indulgence to those who take part.

History of the Devotion

A chronicler from Milan describes the custom which began in May, 1537. He gives details as to the church with which it started. Less than two years later, Pope Paul III granted an indulgence to anyone who participated in the devotion.  

The practice without doubt spread rapidly. Already before the year 1550 this, or some analogous exposition, had been established by St. Philip Neri for the Confraternity of the Trinita dei Pellegrini in Rome; while St. Ignatius Loyola, at about the same period, seems to have given much encouragement to the practice. As this devotion also commonly lasted for a period of about forty hours, it seems to have been given the name "Quarant' Ore"; and under this name it is still maintained in many places.

St. Charles Borromeo speaks as if this practice of praying for forty hours was of very ancient date; and he distinctly refers it to the forty hours our Lord's Body remained in the tomb, seeing that this was a period of watching, suspense, and ardent prayer on the part of all His disciples.

St. John Neumann, Bishop of Philadelphia, advocated the devotion here in the United States.  Visiting his parishes in the 1850’s he noted with sorrow that few people took time for a private visit to the Blessed Sacrament.  In 1853 each parish in his Diocese was to hold a Forty Hours Eucharistic Celebration.  Since at that time, we were part of the Philadelphia Diocese, the parishes in our area would also have begun the devotion.  We continue that tradition today with our parish’s annual celebration of Forty Hours.    

You are invited to come, spend some time with the Lord in prayer during these days.  This year the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed all-day and all-night - so come at any time of the day or night to spend some time with the Lord.  Sunday, Monday & Tuesday evenings there will be a Eucharistic Service of Praise - and this year our guest homilist is our very own Deacon Kevin Kayda.