There has been reservation and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament since the early days of the Church. But it was only in the 13th century that instructions and norms for tabernacles were established. But with the 16th century Council of Trent, a new era began in the devotion of the faithful to Christ’s Real Presence in the Eucharist.

Before the end of the 16th century, Pope Clement VIII issued a historic document on what was called in Italian, Quarant’ Ore (Forty Hours). The devotion consisted of forty hours of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament in Exposition. This devotion was already practiced in Milan, but it was Clement who not only authorized the devotion for Rome, but explained how it should be practiced.

This is the point in history in which Eucharistic Adoration now also included Eucharistic Exposition.

About a century later (1731) his successor, Clement XIII, published an even more detailed set of instructions for the proper carrying out of the Forty-Hours’ devotion. Gradually the Forty Hours devotion spread throughout the Catholic world. Proposed by the Code of Canon Law in 1917, the new 1982 Code states that in churches or oratories where the Eucharist is reserved, “it is recommended . . . that there be held each year a solemn exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for an appropriate, even if not for a continuous, time so that the local community may more attentively meditate on and adore the Eucharistic Mystery” (Canon 942).

The 40 Hours Devotion concludes with a Eucharistic Benediction. A benediction is a blessing. Of the many biblical blessings, there is none more used than that found in The Book of Numbers: “The LORD said to Moses: Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: This is how you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them: The LORD bless you and keep you! The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!” (Num 6:23-27)

The devotion was, in part, a response to the ongoing desire on the part of the faithful to look upon the Host, a desire enhanced by the earlier theological disputes over transubstantiation and the exact moment of consecration. Concurrent with the strengthening of this desire was the gradual introduction of an evening service for the faithful centered around the Salve Regina, which had been composed in the 11th century. By 1221 it had been joined to Compline in the Dominican monastery in Bologna. As early as 1250 it was part of a popular evening devotion in France. During the next two or three centuries the two devotions, one to the Blessed Mother, the other to the Blessed Sacrament, were combined, whence benediction is still known in France as Le Salut.

Image credit: G. Corrigan, CANVA, CC-BY-NC