On Sunday, 20 October, Corpus Christi, Maiden Lane, marked its 150th anniversary with a special thanksgiving Mass, celebrated by Cardinal Vincent Nichols.
The church, built in 1874 as an act of reparation for sins committed against the Blessed Sacrament during the Reformation, holds a significant place in catholic history. It was opened by Cardinal Manning and has since become a cherished site for Catholics worldwide.
Corpus Christi Maiden Lane has a rich legacy. The hymns Sweet Sacrament Divine and O Sacred Heart were composed here by a former Parish Priest, Fr Francis Stanfield. Mgr. Ronald Knox also delivered many of his famous homilies on the Blessed Sacrament from this church’s pulpit.
Since 1923, there has been a Sodality of the Blessed Sacrament here. After a period of dormancy, it was renewed in 2016, and now has members around the world, who contribute towards monthly Masses and annual Processions of the Blessed Sacrament. More information can be found here.
The church has played a notable role in London's artistic and performing arts community. As the home of the Catholic Association for Performing Arts (formerly the Catholic Stage Guild), it has earned the title ‘Actors’ Church,’ offering a spiritual home to Catholic actors performing in Covent Garden and the West End. Since 2023, Corpus Christi has also served as the London base for the Catholic Police Guild.
In 2018, following a period of restoration, Cardinal Nichols elevated Corpus Christi to the status of Diocesan Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament.
To mark the occasion, a new book has been published, documenting the history of the Shrine and Catholicism in Covent Garden more generally. Copies can be purchased from the Shrine for £20, or online.
During his homily, Cardinal Nichols said: 'Today, this church, this Shrine, is an invaluable part of our heritage, and one which we will pass on to future generations with all the care that is rightly lavished upon us. At this point, I would like to thank, from the bottom of my heart, Father Alan for his tireless dedication in the restoration and the promotion of this most precious shrine. But you know, we will hand on not only the church itself, but also the devotion found here in the Blessed Sacrament.'
Following the Mass, Fr Alan Robinson, Rector of Corpus Christi, Maiden Lane, shared his thoughts on the occasion, remarking: 'The celebration today is a culmination of the visions of both Cardinals Manning and Nichols: a Shrine dedicated to Our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament. The nation’s capital is truly Eucharistic with the two most central churches dedicated to the Most Precious Blood and Corpus Christi respectively. We have much to give thanks to God for, and may this Shrine continue to serve as a place where people can encounter the Lord in a most profound way for another 150 years.'
Watch the Mass in full here.
