The Feast of Christ the King of the Universe, celebrated today in every Catholic church in the world, is one of the most important solemnities of the liturgical year. However, unlike most Christian feasts whose origins date back to the first centuries, this one is relatively recent. Its history is deeply linked to the upheavals of the XXᵉ century, the spiritual challenges of the modern age and the desire to remind the world of the true centre of the Christian faith: the reign of Christ over all creation.
1. The biblical and theological roots of Christ the King
Well before the official institution of the feast, Christian tradition recognised Jesus as King.
This title runs throughout Scripture:
In the Old Testament
The prophets announce a royal Messiah from the line of David.
Isaiah speaks of a "Prince of Peace" bearing an eternal kingdom.
In the New Testament
At the Annunciation, the angel Gabriel tells Mary:
"He will reign forever and his kingdom will have no end" (Lk 1:33).
Jesus himself speaks of the "Kingdom of God" throughout his ministry.
On the cross, ironically but mysteriously, is inscribed: "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews".
Thus, recognising Christ as King is not a recent invention: it is a truth inscribed at the heart of the Christian faith from its origins.
2. Why institute a feast of Christ the King in the XXᵉ century?
A troubled world context
In 1925, Europe was just emerging from the horror of the First World War.
Societies were rapidly secularising. Political ideologies were taking on increasing prominence: nationalisms, nascent totalitarianisms, rejection of religion in public life...
Man was beginning to believe himself to be self-sufficient, the absolute master of his destiny.
The prophetic response of Pope Pius XI
Faced with this situation, in 1925 Pope Pius XI published the encyclical Quas Primas, a major text in the history of the Church.
In this document, the Pope denounced:
the rise of radical secularism,
the forgetfulness of God in the life of nations,
the sidelining of Christian charity in society,
the illusion of progress without morality and transcendence.
To recall that only peace founded on Christ can be lasting, Pius XI decided to institute a new feast:
The Feast of Christ the King
intended to remind everyone - believers, peoples, rulers - that Christ is the true sovereign of history.
3. The first celebration: October 1926
The feast of Christ the King was celebrated for the first time in 1926, on the last Sunday in October.
At that time, it did not yet have the rank of a universal solemnity, but it very quickly established itself as a strong feast in the liturgical calendar.
Pius XI explained that this feast should:
strengthen the faith of Christians,
combat modern individualism,
remind that all human authority must conform to the justice and charity of Christ.
A celebration turned towards concrete commitment:
The Pope invited the faithful to make Christ shine forth in their family, their work, their social commitment.
4. Liturgical repositioning after the Second Vatican Council
In 1969, following the Second Vatican Council, the liturgical calendar was reformed.
The feast of Christ the King was then moved:
From:
the last Sunday in October
To:
the last Sunday of the liturgical year, just before Advent.
This change was not insignificant:
it gave the feast a clear eschatological dimension.
The meaning of the new placement
This repositioning means that:
Christ's reign is the apex of the liturgical year,
Christ is the alpha and omega of history,
the entire Christian year converges on the recognition of Jesus as King of the Universe,
the Church celebrates Christ's final victory before setting out again to await his coming.
5. The official title: "Christ King of the Universe"
With the reform, the full name of the feast becomes:
Solennity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.
This title amplifies the scope of the celebration:
It is not a political kingdom,
Nor a reign limited to the Earth,
But a spiritual and eternal Kingdom, extending to the whole of creation.
Christ is not only King of my heart, but King of history, of the cosmos, and of all human life.
6. The feast today: a call to conversion and hope
In churches throughout the world, the feast of Christ the King is one of the most liturgically marked solemnities.
It reminds every Christian:
That Jesus must reign:
in our thoughts,
in our decisions,
in our families,
in our work,
in our relationships,
in our moral choices.
That he calls everyone to build a Kingdom of:
justice,
truth,
peace,
mercy.
That he will return at the end of time
to restore all things in love.
This feast is therefore both:
a look to the past (Christ-Jesus, crucified and risen),
a look to the present (his reign in our lives),
a look to the future (his glorious return).
Conclusion : A feast to restore Christ as the centre
The history of the feast of Christ the King shows how much the Church wanted, at a critical moment, to recall a fundamental truth:
the world will only find its true peace by recognising Christ as the King of Love.
Today, this feast remains highly topical in a world where man is seeking his direction.
It invites everyone to rediscover that the true king is not the one who dominates, but the one who serves;
not the one who imposes, but the one who loves to the point of giving his life.
