Truth & Beauty

Alarmed by the rise of secularism and atheism in the early 20th century, Pope Pius XI issued an encyclical, Quas primas, in 1925, wherein he instituted a new feast day, Domini Nostri Jesu Christi Regis, or “Our Lord Jesus Christ the King.” Designated for the last Sunday in October, the feast was meant to call attention to the lordship of Christ over creation and all human affairs, both spiritual and temporal. He wrote:

… these manifold evils in the world were due to the fact that the majority of men had thrust Jesus Christ and his holy law out of their lives; that these had no place either in private affairs or in politics: and we said further, that as long as individuals and states refused to submit to the rule of our Savior, there would be no really hopeful prospect of a lasting peace among nations (Quas primas para. 1).

Having witnessed the horrors of the First World War and the rise of atheistic authoritarianism in Russia, Mexico, and elsewhere, he wished to alert the nations to the dangers of following their current paths away from God. Only by submitting to Christ, he maintained, could any lasting peace be achieved. Tragically, much of the world—even what remained of Christendom—pressed ahead with its rejection of Christ and its pursuit of materialism. The consequences are well-documented.

In 1969, following a second global war and waves of social upheaval, Pope St. Paul VI elevated the feast to a solemnity and moved its observance to the last Sunday in the liturgical year. (He also updated the name to “Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.”) By placing it right before the start of Advent, he wished to highlight the connection of the feast to Christ’s triumphant second coming at the end of time. Christ is indeed our King, and He will return as He promised.

This year, as we mark the centenary of Quas primas, we look back on a hundred years of societies turning their backs on their true King, and all the resulting suffering and disorder. Those of us who acknowledge His reign have an obligation to make Him known by how we live our lives. Billions of souls are at stake, and time is short. 

For Further Reading:

1. Pope Pius XI, Quas primas (1925), para. 1. https://www.vatican.va/content/pius-xi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xi_enc_11121925_quas-primas.html
2. “About Christ the King,” United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. https://www.usccb.org/committees/religious-liberty/solemnity-christ-king-background
3. “What Is the Meaning of Christ the King?” EWTN Missions. https://missions.ewtn.com/seasonsandfeastdays/christtheking/