Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Eternal High Priest: new feast for Poland

Abstract

In 2013, the feast of Jesus Christ the Eternal High Priest was introduced into the liturgical calendar of the Church in Poland. In studying the history and liturgical texts for the new feast, the authors undertook the first attempt of a comprehensive liturgical analysis of its liturgy, presenting its historical background and theology. Starting from describing the circumstances of its introduction, and ending on the presentation of its summary in the „Martyrologium”, the authors paid a special attention to the form of the Mass and, also, tried to take the theological lecture of Mass readings. Then, also the theological conclusions of analytical reading of texts of the Liturgy of the Hours have been presented. The study is the first Polish comprehensive presentation of euchology for the new feast, sometimes it only opens threads for further discussion. However, it clearly shows the fundamental traces of the new feast’s theology. Its central theme is the priesthood of Christ as superior to the priesthood of the Old Testament. The only true priesthood of Christ involves especially, in sacramental way, the ordained ministers. The ministerial priesthood, in fact, becomes the second subject of the feast, as the prayer for priests was the main motivation for introduction of this feast into liturgical calendars of local Churches.