The feast of the Sacred Heart is a moveable celebration, always occurring in June. St. John Eudes was an early promoter of devotion to the Sacred Heart, leading to the first feast in 1670. Early celebrations were local, not universal, with devotions to the Sacred Heart evolving over time. St. Margaret Mary Alacoque received revelations from Jesus Christ, requesting a feast to honor the Sacred Heart. The feast is celebrated on the Friday after the Octave of Corpus Christi.
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The Feast of the Sacred Heart is celebrated in June as a moveable feast 1. Its date is determined by the celebration of Easter, as it falls on the Friday after Corpus Christi Sunday 1. Corpus Christi was traditionally celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday, but is now often observed on the Sunday after Trinity Sunday 1.
Initially, the Feast of the Sacred Heart was not a universal celebration and was observed on various days 1. St. John Eudes was instrumental in promoting devotion to the Sacred Heart and secured permission for a special liturgy, with the first feast celebrated on August 31, 1670 1. This devotion gradually spread, merging with similar practices in other religious communities 1.
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque significantly influenced the feast's universal recognition through her private revelations from Jesus Christ 1. In one such revelation on June 16, 1675, Jesus requested that the Friday after the Octave of Corpus Christi be dedicated to honoring His Sacred Heart 1. He also asked for acts of reparation for the indignities received during the exposition on altars, promising divine love to those who honored His heart 1.
The Church explains the meaning of the Sacred Heart.
The Church understands the Sacred Heart of Jesus as a profound symbol and a devotion with deep roots in Scripture and tradition . It encompasses the entirety of Christ's mystery, His being, and His person, considered in His most intimate essence .
The Church has explicitly approved and recommended several devotions related to the Sacred Heart :
The spirit of expiation and reparation has a primary place in the worship of the Sacred Heart . Christ revealed to St. Margaret Mary His sorrow over the neglect and injuries He receives from ungrateful people . He requested acts of reparation, such as Communions of Reparation and the Holy Hour .
The Church clarifies that devotion to the Sacred Heart, with its acts of love and reparation, is not materialistic or superstitious . It is a form of piety that aligns with true spiritual worship, adoring God in spirit and truth .
Pope Francis has expressed his intention to release a document in September that brings together previous Magisterial texts and the history of the Sacred Heart, to re-propose this devotion to the Church .
In summary, the Church views the Sacred Heart of Jesus as a symbol of Christ's boundless love, mercy, and the totality of His being. It calls for a response of love, gratitude, and reparation, and it is expressed through various approved devotions, always grounded in true spiritual worship.