Christ the King
Encyclopedia
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
the King
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
is a title of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
based on several passages of Scripture
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
. It is used by most Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
s. The Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, together with many Protestant denomination
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
s, including the Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
Churches, Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
s, Lutheran
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
s and Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
s, celebrate the Feast of Christ the King
Feast of Christ the King
The Feast of Christ the King is the last holy Sunday in the western liturgical calendar, celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church as well as many Anglicans, Lutherans, and other Mainline Protestants.-Origin and history in the Catholic Church:Pope Pius XI instituted the Feast of Christ the...
on the last Sunday of the liturgical year (before a new year begins with the First Sunday of Advent
Advent
Advent is a season observed in many Western Christian churches, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. It is the beginning of the Western liturgical year and commences on Advent Sunday, called Levavi...
, the earliest date of which is 27 November). The Feast of Christ the King is thus on the Sunday that falls between 20 and 26 November, inclusive. Originally, the liturgical calendar had this feast on the last Sunday of October prior to All Saints
All Saints
All Saints' Day , often shortened to All Saints, is a solemnity celebrated on 1 November by parts of Western Christianity, and on the first Sunday after Pentecost in Eastern Christianity, in honour of all the saints, known and unknown...
Day, where it is still celebrated in the Extraordinary form of the Roman Rite
Extraordinary form of the Roman Rite
"An extraordinary form of the Roman Rite" is a phrase used in Pope Benedict XVI's motu proprio Summorum Pontificum to describe the liturgy of the 1962 Roman Missal, widely referred to as the "Tridentine Mass"...
. The title "Christ the King" is also frequently used as a name for churches, schools, seminaries, hospitals and religious institutes.
Origins
The name is found in various forms in scripture: King Eternal (1 Timothy 1:17), King of Israel (John 1:49), King of the JewsJesus, King of the Jews
In the New Testament, Jesus is referred to as the King of the Jews both at the beginning of his life and at the end.Both uses of the title lead to dramatic results in the New Testament accounts. In the account of the Nativity of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew, the three wise men In the New...
(Mt. 27:11), King of kings (1 Tim 6:15; Rev. 19:16), King of the Ages (Book of Revelation
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
15:3) and Ruler of the Kings of the Earth (Rev. 1:5).
Quas Primas
Quas Primas was an encyclical of Pope Pius XI. Promulgated on December 11, 1925, it introduced the Feast of Christ the King.The encyclical summarizes both the Old Testament and the New Testament teaching on the kingship of Christ...
of Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
, published in 1925, which has been called "possibly one of the most misunderstood and ignored encyclicals of all time." The Pontiff's encyclical quotes with approval Cyril of Alexandria
Cyril of Alexandria
Cyril of Alexandria was the Patriarch of Alexandria from 412 to 444. He came to power when the city was at its height of influence and power within the Roman Empire. Cyril wrote extensively and was a leading protagonist in the Christological controversies of the later 4th and 5th centuries...
, noting that Jesus' Kingship is not obtained by violence: "'Christ,' he says, 'has dominion over all creatures, a dominion not seized by violence nor usurped, but his by essence and by nature.'" Pope Pius XI instituted the feast of Christ the King in 1925 to remind Christians that their allegiance was to their spiritual ruler in heaven
Session of Christ
The Christian doctrine of the Session of Christ or heavenly session says that Jesus Christ is seated at the right hand of God the Father in Heaven—the word "session" is an archaic noun meaning "sitting." Although the word formerly meant "the act of sitting down," it no longer has that meaning in...
as opposed to earthly supremacy, which was claimed by Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
.
Pope Benedict XVI has remarked that Christ's Kingship is not based on "human power" but on loving and serving others. The perfect exemplar of that acceptance, he pointed out, is the Virgin Mary. Her humble and unconditional acceptance of God's will in her life, the Pope noted, was the reason that "God exalted her over all other creatures, and Christ crowned her Queen of heaven and earth."
Schools and churches
Many Catholic schools and churches have taken this name, as shown here:- Christ the King Cathedral, MullingarChrist the King Cathedral, MullingarChrist the King Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland. It is situated near the centre of Mullingar next to the Royal Canal, and overlooks the local Garda Síochána station on College Street....
- First Cathedral in the world to be dedicated to the title name. - The Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, LiverpoolLiverpool Metropolitan CathedralThe Metropolitan Cathedral Church of Christ the King is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. The cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Liverpool and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool. The Metropolitan Cathedral is one of two cathedrals in the city...
- Basilica of Christ the King, Reykjavík, Iceland
- Christ the King Church, Sector 19, Chandigarh, India
- Christ the King Church, Dorgachola, Mymensingh, Bangladesh
- Christ the King Anglican Church (also known as Christ the King Garrison Church), Tripoli, Libya
- Christ the King Parish, Mashpee, MA
- Christ the King School, Nashville, TN
- Christ the King Catholic Secondary School, Georgetown, Ontario, Canada
- Cathedral of Christ the King, Atlanta, GA
- Christ the King Catholic Church and School, Hollywood, CA
- Christ the King Catholic Church and School, Richland, WA
- Christ The King Catholic Primary School, Blackpool, England
- Christ the King Catholic Secondary School, Nottingham, England
- Christ the King Catholic High School, Southport, UK
- Christ the King Catholic School and Church, North Rocks, Australia
- Christ the King, Dallas, TX
- Christ the King School, Chicago, IL
- Christ the King Catholic Church, Kansas City, MO
- Christ the King Catholic Church, Cedar City, UT
- Christ the King Catholic Church and School, Des Moines, IA
- Rīgas Kristus Karaļa draudzes baznīca (Riga's Christ the King's parish Church), RigaRigaRiga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, LatviaLatviaLatvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
- Christ the King Catholic Church and Primary School, Burmside, Christchurch, New Zealand
- Christ the King Regional High School in Commack, NY
- Christ the King Catholic School in Philadelphia, PA
- Christ the King Reformed Episcopal Church, Pasadena, MD
- Christ the King Roman Catholic Church, Manville, NJ
- Christ the King Chapel, Franciscan University of SteubenvilleFranciscan University of SteubenvilleFranciscan University of Steubenville is a Catholic institution located in Steubenville, Ohio, west of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The school was founded in 1946 by the Franciscan Friars of the Third Order Regular. In 1974, Fr...
- Christ the King Chapel, St. Ambrose University, Davenport, IA
- Christ the King High School, St. John's, AntiguaChrist the King High School (Antigua)Christ the King High School is a secondary school located on Old Parham Road in St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda. It is the only all-girls Catholic high school located on the island of Antigua. Its brother school is St. Joseph's Academy...
- Christ the King Parish (Church in the Sky), TaytayTaytay, RizalThe Municipality of Taytay is a first class, urban municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. It is currently the third second most populous town in Rizal after and Cainta. Taytay serves a the gateway of West Rizal to the cities of Pasig and Taguig...
, Rizal, PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam... - Christ the King Cathedral, Tagum City, Davao del Norte, Philippines
- Christ the King Parish of Tungao, Butuan City, Philippines [entry of Vincent Cotoron]
Other Christian churches' buildings also sometimes use this dedication, such as:
- the Church of Christ the King, BloomsburyChurch of Christ the King, BloomsburyThe Church of Christ the King is a church belonging to the Catholic Apostolic Church which is situated in Gordon Square, Bloomsbury, London, beside Dr Williams's Library and near University College London. The church is currently used by the Anglican organisation Forward in Faith...
, London, England - Christ the King Parish Church, Paola, MaltaPaola, MaltaPaola, , is a town in the Grand Harbour area of Malta, with a population of 8,856 people . It is named after its founder, the Grandmaster Antoine de Paule, but is commonly known as Raħal Ġdid, which means new town in Maltese.Paola is renowned for its shopping centres, Good Friday procession, its...
- Christ the King Christian School, Lubbock, TX
- Christus Rex Lutheran Campus Center, Grand Forks, ND
- Christ the King Roman Catholic Church and School, Haddonfield, NJ
See also the disambiguation page
Christ the King (disambiguation)
Christ the King is a title of Jesus. It can also refer to:*Feast of Christ the King, observed in the Catholic Church, and many Protestant churches, since 1925*Christ the King Cathedral , the name of many church buildings around the world...
for more institutions using the name.
See also
- Jesus, King of the JewsJesus, King of the JewsIn the New Testament, Jesus is referred to as the King of the Jews both at the beginning of his life and at the end.Both uses of the title lead to dramatic results in the New Testament accounts. In the account of the Nativity of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew, the three wise men In the New...
- Kingly office of ChristKingly office of ChristThe Kingly office of Christ is one of the Threefold Offices, or special relations, in which Christ stands to his people. Christ's office as mediator comprehends three different functions, viz., those of a prophet, priest, and king...
, one of the Threefold officeThreefold officeThe threefold office of Jesus Christ is a Christian doctrine based upon the teachings of the Old Testament. It was described by Eusebius and more fully developed by John Calvin...
s - The Kingdom of GodKingdom of GodThe Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven is a foundational concept in the Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.The term "Kingdom of God" is found in all four canonical gospels and in the Pauline epistles...
and the Kingdom of HeavenKingdom of GodThe Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven is a foundational concept in the Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.The term "Kingdom of God" is found in all four canonical gospels and in the Pauline epistles...
are theological concepts interpreted variously. - Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews is the inscription which the gospels report was placed on the cross by the Romans (indicating a misguided sentence of revolutionaryRevolutionaryA revolutionary is a person who either actively participates in, or advocates revolution. Also, when used as an adjective, the term revolutionary refers to something that has a major, sudden impact on society or on some aspect of human endeavor.-Definition:...
seditionSeditionIn law, sedition is overt conduct, such as speech and organization, that is deemed by the legal authority to tend toward insurrection against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent to lawful authority. Sedition may include any...
) and which is found on many crucifixCrucifixA crucifix is an independent image of Jesus on the cross with a representation of Jesus' body, referred to in English as the corpus , as distinct from a cross with no body....
es. - The Roman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
and the Anglican Church celebrate the Feast of Christ the KingFeast of Christ the KingThe Feast of Christ the King is the last holy Sunday in the western liturgical calendar, celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church as well as many Anglicans, Lutherans, and other Mainline Protestants.-Origin and history in the Catholic Church:Pope Pius XI instituted the Feast of Christ the...
on the last Sunday of the liturgical year (Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite) and on the last Sunday in October, immediately before the feast of All Saints (Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite). It is a solemnitySolemnityA Solemnity of the Roman Catholic Church is a principal holy day in the liturgical calendar, usually commemorating an event in the life of Jesus, his mother Mary, or other important saints. The observance begins with the vigil on the evening before the actual date of the feast...
in the Roman Catholic Calendar. The Feast of Christ the King is followed by the First Sunday of Advent, the beginning of the liturgical year. Paola, MaltaPaola, MaltaPaola, , is a town in the Grand Harbour area of Malta, with a population of 8,856 people . It is named after its founder, the Grandmaster Antoine de Paule, but is commonly known as Raħal Ġdid, which means new town in Maltese.Paola is renowned for its shopping centres, Good Friday procession, its...
celebrates it on the third Sunday of July. - Cristo ReyCristo ReyCristo Rey may refer to:* Cristo Rey Network, a Network of high schools based on a Corporate Work Study Program* Cristo Rey , a statue atop Mount Cristo Rey, in New Mexico...
, the Spanish translation used for several placenames. - The similar conception of Christ PantocratorChrist PantocratorIn Christian iconography, Christ Pantokrator refers to a specific depiction of Christ. Pantocrator or Pantokrator is a translation of one of many Names of God in Judaism...
associated with Orthodox ChristianityOrthodox ChristianityThe term Orthodox Christianity may refer to:* the Eastern Orthodox Church and its various geographical subdivisions...