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 38th International Eucharistic Congress Bombay, India Scott 403 (1964) Since the inauguration of International Eucharistic Congresses in 1881, there have been 53 Congresses held to date through 2024. Today's article will provide a brief historical review of the early Congresses, and take the reader to the first Congress which has a Vatican City philatelic issue tied to it. The first 25 Eucharistic Congresses were held over a span of just 35 years (from 1881 to 1914), with the vast majority being held on the European continent. Starting with the first Congress, in 1881 in Lille, France, ten (10) of the first 25 Congresses were held in France, with Belgium hosting five, Germany holding two, and Switzerland, Italy, Malta, Spain, the United Kingdom and Austria-Hungary each hosting one. Two Congresses were held outside of Europe: Jerusalem (in the Ottoman Empire) in 1893, and Montreal, Canada, in 1910.  Postcard from the 24th International Eucharistic Congress, 1913 Place de la Floriana, Malta Image from Wikimedia Commons (In the public domain)  Postcard from the 25th International Eucharistic Congress, 1914 Procession at Lourdes, France Image from Wikimedia Commons (In the public domain) With the outbreak of World War I, an eight-year hiatus ensued from the 25th Congress (held in Lourdes, France, in 1914) until the 26th Congress in Rome, in 1922. Over the next sixteen years, nine Congresses were held, with the 34th Congress in Budapest, Hungary, in 1938, being the last prior to the start of World War II.  View from the 28th International Eucharistic Congress, 1926 Mass at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois Image from Wikimedia Commons (In the public domain)  View from the 34th International Eucharistic Congress, 1938 Square of Heroes, Budapest, Hungary Image from Wikimedia Commons (In the public domain) It was not until 1952 that the 35th International Eucharistic Congress was convened in Barcelona, Spain, with a fitting one-word theme: “Peace”. From this point, until the present day, the Congresses have followed a schedule of one Congress every four years (give or take one year). The next two Congresses were held in Brazil in 1956 and Germany in 1960. 
38th International Eucharistic Congress Bombay, India Scott 400-403 (1964) The 38th International Eucharistic Congress was held from December 2 to 5, 1964, in Bombay, India. It was the first Congress held in a predominantly non-Christian country, with its goal being the dissemination of the doctrine of the "real presence of Christ in the Eucharist." The Congress was attended by Pope Paul VI, who was making the second of what would be nine pastoral trips outside of Italy during his pontificate (the first being to the Holy Land in January of 1964). This trip also marked the beginning of celebrating International Eucharistic Congresses on the stamps of Vatican City. REFERENCES: |
