Benedict looks most thoughtful; unfortunately the photo does show the Panda Eyes of the pontiff. Still, I watched the procession and marveled at it all. It was dusk in Rome and looked to be a most magic time.
Being but a lowly Protestant I have no idea what the Corpus Christi is about, beyond celebrating the Host (and being the name of a city in Texas). What does the great procession mean?
The Feast of Corpus Christi was established in the 13th century to show devotion to Jesus when He is present in the Blessed Sacrament. Catholics take literally Jesus' words in the 6th chapter of the Gospel of St. John and believe that He is present - body, blood, soul, and divinity - in the Consecrated Bread and Wine. The procession involves a Consecrated Host (a large wafer) which is put into a special holder called a Monstrance. It is usually very beautiful. The holder is on a stand and has large rays surrounding it. The priest will hold it and walk in procession with the faithful following. The significance is that Jesus, present in the Consecrated Host, is being taken to the people - out into the streets.
From the City of Corpus Christi website: "In 1519, on the Roman Catholic Feast Day of Corpus Christi, Spanish explorer Alonzo Alvarez de Pineda discovered a lush semi-tropical bay on what is now the southern coast of Texas. The bay, and the city that later sprung up there, took the name of the feast day celebrating the 'Body of Christ.'"
Here is some more information: Especially interesting is post #3 which gives an excerpt from Scott Hahn's book, "The Lamb's Supper." Mr. Hahn is a former Evangelical Protestant who became Catholic.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1651384/posts