The History of The 40 Hours Devotion

(taken from online sources)

The 40 Hours Devotion, a Christian devotion, is a Roman Catholic liturgical action in which continuous prayer is made for forty hours before the Blessed Sacrament in solemn exposition. For St. Jude, it will begin after the 11am Mass on October 15th, 2023.

The precise origin of the Forty Hours' Devotion is obscure.

 St. Charles Borromeo speaks as if this practice of praying for forty hours was very ancient; and he refers to the forty hours that Christ's Body remained in the tomb. The number 40 is also associated with the rain at the time of the flood, years on the way to the Promised Land, and Jesus fasting for 40 days before beginning his public ministry.[2]

The practice of reserving the Blessed Sacrament with some solemnity during the Easter Triduum began in the 12th or 13th century. From this the idea grew up of transferring this figurative vigil of forty hours to other days and other seasons. 

There is evidence that Giovanni Antonio Bellotti organized this in connection with a certain confraternity at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Milan as early as 1527. During the 1520s and ’30s, in the Archdiocese of Milan, Italy, this prayer devotion was extended beyond Holy Week and often added to Pentecost, the feast of the Assumption and at Christmas.[3]

Evidence seems to favor the conclusion that a Capuchin Father, Joseph Piantanida da Fermo, was the first to organize the arrangement by which the Forty Hours' Exposition was transferred from church to church in Milan and was there kept up without interruption throughout all the year. The Milanese chronicler Burigozzo describes the custom of exposing the Blessed Sacrament in one church after another as a novelty which began at Milan, in May 1537. His notice seems to have been actually written in that year.[4] The practice has been attributed to the Milanese Capuchin Giuseppe da Ferno. In November 2021, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Arlington initiated a schedule of Forty hours Devotion in successive parishes in preparation for its Golden Jubilee in 2024.[5]

A Dominican, Father Thomas Nieto, the Barnabite St. Antonio Maria Zaccharia, and his friend Brother Buono of Cremona, known as the Hermit, have all been suggested as the founders of the Forty Hours' Devotion. The claims of the last named, Brother Buono, were urged by Bergamaschi, who contends that the Quarant'Ore had been started by Brother Buono at Cremona in 1529. Philip II of Spain is also credited with having first instituted the Forty Hours devotion at the Royal Chapel of the Cathedral of Granada.[4] The practice spread rapidly.

But the evidence in all these cases only goes to show that the practice was then being introduced of exposing the Blessed Sacrament with solemnity on occasions of great public calamity or peril, and that for such expositions the period of forty hours was generally selected. In past centuries, especially in the late Middle Ages, the devotion was practiced during times of crisis. Bishops frequently ordered exposition of the Sacrament for “serious and general need.” The faithful would come in shifts before the Sacrament seeking God's intercession during events threatening the local community, such as war, epidemics, drought or famine.[3] Later it became common to hold the devotion around the feast of Corpus Christi.

One of the most important documents pertaining to this devotion is the Constitution Graves et diuturnae of Pope Clement VIII, of 25 November 1592, in which the pontiff strongly commended the practice of unwearied prayer.

"We have determined to establish publicly in this Mother City of Rome (in hac alma Urbe) an uninterrupted course of prayer in such wise that in the different churches (he specifies the various categories), on appointed days, there be observed the pious and salutary devotion of the Forty Hours, with such an arrangement of churches and times that, at every hour of the day and night, the whole year round, the incense of prayer shall ascend without intermission before the face of the Lord."[2]

As in the case of a previous brief of Paul III, the keynote of this document is anxiety for the peace of Christendom. In 1731 Pope Clement XII issued a very minute code of instructions for the proper carrying out of the Quarant'Ore devotion, which is known as the "Instructio Clementina".

The Plenary Council of Baltimore approved the Forty Hours Devotion for all Catholic dioceses in the United States in 1866.

Source of Content

References: 

[1] Elliot, Peter J. Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite: The Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours, Ignatius Press, 2011 ISBN 9781681490830
[2] "What is 40 Hours Devotion?", The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
[3] Emmons, Dennis D., "Forty Hours Devotion", Catholic Answers, OSV Newsweekly, April 6, 2010
[4]Thurston, Herbert (1909). "Forty Hours' Devotion". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
[5] "The Forty Hours Devotion Schedule", Roman Catholic Diocese of Arlington

 "Devotion" - Our Life in Christ

The opportunity to celebrate the 40 Hours Devotions this year brings great joy to us, given that it opens up another opportunity to express our love of Christ and God. I call to mind really what devotion has in it: "the love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause." If one doesn't share in that devotion, this event of 40 Hours is not for them. But to the one who loves God, one cannot but be impelled to participate in the event this year.  It is like putting out flowers for the wife, or the joy of simply hugging your friend that you haven't seen in while. It is the joy that springs from the heart; the one who sees the good in 

the other, and cannot be held back to give thanks through an expression of love. This 40 Hours Devotion is like that flower. It is likened to that hug. Living out devotion to Christ, living in the New Covenant as a Christian follower, it is here where we publicly celebrate as a church family the love we have found for Christ and relish in the opportunity to give daily thanksgiving for Him and His generosity.

I write to you now to contemplate with great expectation the beautiful devotion of 40 Hours at St. Jude's. You have learned of the history behind it. You understand whether you identify to come or not, and now it is time to put it on the calendar and prepare for its upcoming arrival. During the 40 Hours Devotion at evening time, we will be praying the official prayers of the Church: The Liturgy of the Hours - Evening Prayer. It will fit within the context of Benediction. There will be some singing of the psalm - an expression of the heart to God - as well as spoken prayers and readings to quiet the mind and heart into contemplation of God. I'd like to capture now the real value of this act: Love God above all things, and your neighbor as yourself. This is the New Covenant we live in. The 40 Hours Devotion soundly brings forward to our view this fundamental, daily task. The devotion brings light from the source of all Light. Let us accept this grace and bring light into us, so that this light might shine before all, and give glory to God!

Share the Good News!

Jesus Christ has given us and all Christian followers the Great Commission. What was that, again? 

'All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. '

-- Matthew 28:18–20

Now let's remember: Each journey is a series of steps. The 40 Hours Devotion is one step along the journey of exposing ourselves to the light that will shine from within us to others in this Great Commission.  Think of it like this: A cell phone not charged and drained is DEAD. It does not work - let alone give off a signal. We are like that cell phone if we don't connect and stay connected to the source of all power - God. Jesus Christ said He was the only way to the Father. We therefore need to spend time charging up to be the greatness that God calls us. Greatness takes energy. I would say a lot of energy, and Christ offers this Divine energy to power our Christian lives. Let's be real: How often do we say we don't measure up to the greatness God has called us to be? That is, in living out our faith and witnessing it to others? Probably a lot more than we want. Like the image of the cell phone and its battery, we cannot expect more juice from ourselves in living in grace if we do not expose ourselves to this energy, this grace of God. No, it is rather another great meal, our daily bread, that is being offered to us from God through St. Jude Catholic Church to live our faith that we value for its goodness and truth.

40 Hours Devotion is this opportunity to power up, and be strengthened to share the Gospel with our lives.  Now, it won't be a one and done. Don't expect to come to this event and then never charge up your faith-life again. Nope. Can't have that. It simply doesn't work that way, like when I say to my 2-year old son (Marcus-Lee) when he is trying to put a circle into the triangle hole of his toy. Rather, to take this daily bread and happily do the work of God - now that is living!  During this time of the Eucharistic Revival in our parishes, we choose to place ourselves into this light to be renewed. Invite others to this as well! - But remember: You can lead a horse to water (Life-giving Water!) - but you cannot make him drink.  You can show someone something that will benefit them, but you can't force them to accept it. The gift of free will is too cherished by God and man to do that. But let's give people the benefit of the doubt, and share it. 

Why? Because of the 40 Hours Devotion's beautiful history; because of its beautiful liturgical devotion; because of its light and goodness. upon our souls; because of the Great Commission; because the Holy Spirit impels us and our conscience tells us it is right and just to do. 

Who will share this devotion with others? Let me help you identify if this is for you: 

Faith Test:  True faith in Christ will always produce good works.   

James 2:26: “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

If you think you have true faith - test it on this opportunity to share the devotion with someone else. Does it matter who? Yes - the one who needs light and energy to love God and his/her neighbor. Anyone come to mind?  EVERYONE! Ha-Hah! 

Thus, let us share this event with everyone. And then let them come to the waters of eternal life. May God bless us in this action as we prepare to receive this light and blessing from God for ourselves.