Når Jesus tar til gatene: Katolske Corpus Christi-prosesjoner i norske byrom

Abstract

Religious processions in secular urban spaces are a growing phenomenon that has received limited public attention in Norway. In this country, the Roman Catholic Church is a large and culturally diverse religious minority. Built on observations of processions on the major feast of Corpus Christi in six different Catholic parishes, the article discusses the use, the production, and the relational qualities of space performed by these processions, and identifies a number of overlapping projects and effects, including missionary and theological aspects, promoting unity in diversity, and creating ties to the local community as well as to other times and places.