Religion: The Eucharistic Congress

Eucharistic Congresses, the spectaculars of Roman Catholicism, have been held since 1881 in every corner of the earth (the last in Rio in 1955) to worship what German Theologian Theoderich Kampmann called "the still white majesty of the mystic bread" and thus to demonstrate Catholic internationalism and solidarity. Last week nearly half a million Catholics from all over the world met in Munich to celebrate the 37th World Eucharistic Congress. Among them: Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, who arrived by helicopter, plus 21 cardinals, 500 bishops and thousands of priests.

The tradition of the congresses...