The streets of downtown Toronto surrounding St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica will become a visual testament of Catholic devotion to the Eucharist as the annual Corpus Christi procession takes place Sunday.

On June 22, Cardinal Francis Leo will celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ at the cathedral, with Holy Mass beginning at 12 noon, followed by a Eucharistic procession in the streets surrounding the cathedral before concluding with solemn Benediction. 

As a public and reverent way of honouring the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the source and summit of our Christian life, the Corpus Christi procession this year also visually represents Christ’s pilgrimage alongside us here on Earth, as well as relating to the Jubilee Pilgrimage of Hope. 

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“ There is a certain indulgence given to those who visit one of the Jubilee shrines or parishes, and St. Michael's is one of those. It adds a little bit something further in this Jubilee year for those who attend, in addition to the graces they receive in their own spirituality, devotion and prayer,” said Fr. Frank Portelli, rector of St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica. 

Bond Street will be closed between Shuter and Dundas Streets to accommodate the sizable procession, which Portelli expects to hover between 1,500 and 1,600, with others expected to join from the streets. The perimeter march will begin northbound on Bond, before turning eastbound on Dundas, southbound on Church, before returning to the cathedral westbound on Shuter and back onto Bond once again. 

Portelli said planning often starts six to eight months before the procession, with permits needed from the city and police, as the march affects transit, pedestrians and parking. The extensive planning is worth it in the end, said Portelli, who recalls how the Corpus Christi demonstration often strengthens the faith of those participating, even bringing new faces to the Church altogether. 

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“It is a pretty significant gathering, and a couple of people told me that last year when we did it, they were just in the area and wondered what was happening over here. A few of them came and started attending St. Michael's and even went through the RCIA just because of the public witness of the procession,” he said. 

There will also be a time for fellowship after the procession in the cathedral courtyard, an element in line with Leo’s passion and desire to bring the archdiocese together.

“Last year, the service and procession took about three hours, and so we had a few light refreshments to tide people over. His Eminence wanted to amp this up a little bit, and so he is the one who requested that we have pizza and ice cream in addition to the cupcakes this year,” Portelli said. “After the prayers, you can now get together and have some fellowship, meet some new people and bring the parish together a little more.” 

Whether for Holy Mass, the Corpus Christi Procession, a moment of fellowship afterwards or all three, Portelli hopes it will make the faith more alive in the downtown core. 

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“ I think that devotions like this that strengthen our faith also make us witnesses if we want other people to know that we are Catholic. There is something about walking in the public square and, uh, making that witness come alive,” he said.

“My hope is that this experience can deepen faith that is already there while reminding people that God's grace is always there, ready for us, but it is we who need to be receptive to it.”