TT celebrates Corpus Christi

For many farmers and home gardeners, this is a day for planting. With the coming of the fullmoon on May 20, the weather patterns will be changing, bringing with it lots of rainfall. This, is necessary for plant propagation in tropical countries. Many gardeners on large-scale farming and on the small scale have been securing seeds as they prepare for this day.

According to religious activist Rachel Matthews, of Princes Town, Corpus Christi (Latin for body of Christ) is a christian feast in honour of the Holy Eucharist.

“It was originally assigned to the Thursday following Trinity Sunday, thereby mirroring Thursday of the Holy Week in the Catholic calendar. This is the day on which Christians commemorate The Last Supper of Jesus Christ which is seen as the first Holy Eucharist,” she said.

According to tradition, the Last Supper took place on Mount Zion, just outside of the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem, and is traditionally known as “The Upper Room”. This is based on the account in the Synoptic Gospels which states that Jesus had instructed a pair of unnamed disciples to go to the city to meet a man carrying a jar of water, who would lead them to a house, where they were to ask for the room where the teacher has a guest room.

Jesus sat with his disciples for a final meal before he was led to his crucifixion.

While the institution of the Eucharist is celebrated on Holy Thursday, the joy of what is referred to in Greek as “the Holy Gift” cannot on that occasion be well expressed, because of the nearness of Good Friday. This is given as a reason for celebrating the Corpus Christi feast at a different time of year.

Corpus Christi is primarily celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church but it is also included in the calendar of a few Anglican churches. In Roman Catholic parishes that use the Mass of Paul VI, the feast is known as “the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ”. In the Church of England it is known as The Day of Thanksgiving for the Institution of Holy Communion (Corpus Christi) and has the status of a festival. It is also celebrated by the Old Catholic Church and by some Western Rite Orthodox Christians, and is commemorated in the liturgical calendars of the more Latinized Eastern Catholic Churches.

For farmers planting of six-month crops begins on Corpus Christi. This will bring in the produce for the end of the year into the new year.

Crops such as pigeon peas, cassava, corn, and eddoes are planted. Citrus fruits are also planted on this day.

The most popular among these plants is the pigeon peas as it fetches a big price at the end of the year. The pea seeds germinate in two weeks but it takes six months to grow and send out pods of peas. The pea should be sown 2.5–5 cm deep in rows 40–120 cm by 30–60 cm. About 3–4 seeds may be planted in each hill.

Interesting fact on this plant — they are very drought resistant and can be grown in areas with less than 650 mm annual rainfalls.