Eucharistic Adoration Didn’t Exist Until Corpus Christi Was Established

He means, of course, Eucharistic Adoration as a separate devotion. Christians have known since Holy Thursday that the Holy Eucharist is literally the Body and Blood of Our Lord.

From Aleteia

By Philip Kosloski

Prior to the 13th century, Eucharistic adoration was not a popular devotion, even though Catholics understood the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharistic host.

In the past 100 years, Eucharistic adoration has become very popular among Roman Catholics, especially since Pope John Paul II highly promoted this devotion during his pontificate.

He wrote about it in his encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia, praising it and encouraging Catholics to take part in it and in the processions linked to the feast of Corpus Christi:

In many places, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is also an important daily practice and becomes an inexhaustible source of holiness. The devout participation of the faithful in the Eucharistic procession on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ is a grace from the Lord which yearly brings joy to those who take part in it. 

It's fitting that Pope John Paul II made that connection, as historically speaking Eucharistic adoration was not a popular personal devotion until the feast of Corpus Christi was established in the 13th century.

Development of Eucharistic devotion

While Eucharistic adoration was not part of the early Church, it does not mean that early Christians did not believe Jesus was truly present in the Eucharist. They believed in his Real Presence, under the form of bread and wine, but focused mainly on his role as "food" and how consuming the Eucharist led to communion with him.

As the Church further developed her understanding of the Eucharist, more and more saints felt a desire to adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and not to simply consume him.

This reached a climax in the establishment of the feast of Corpus Christi, where an emphasis was placed on the glory of Jesus' body, present in the Eucharist. What helped further cement this in the faithful's imaginations were reports of Eucharistic miracles, where the host would start bleeding. These miraculous hosts would then be put on display inside the Church and venerated by pilgrims.

Perpetual adoration

Shortly after these events took place, many felt a desire to continually adore Jesus outside of Mass and to remain in his presence.

One of the first places to adopt such a practice was the Cathedral in Lugo, Spain, where perpetual adoration has continued for approximately 1,500 years.

Early on there were even religious orders that were approved to perpetually adore Jesus in the Eucharist, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia:

The Order of the "Religiosi bianchi del corpo di Gesù Christo," a Benedictine reform, united to Cîteaux in 1393, and approved later as a separate community, devoted themselves to the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Philip II of Spain founded in the Escorial the Vigil of the Blessed Sacrament, religious in successive pairs remaining constantly, night and day, before the Blessed Sacrament.

Eucharistic adoration remains a vital part of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church and is cherished by Catholics around the world.