The Solemnity of Christ the King, observed on the final Sunday of the liturgical year, proclaims Christ's sovereignty over all creation. Established in response to militant secular regimes in Mexico, Russia, and parts of Europe that threatened the Church and civilisation in the early 20th century, the feast reaffirms Christ’s authority and the Church’s mission. This solemnity encourages us to celebrate and live out our faith in public.
In 1925, Pope Pius XI established the Domini Nostri Jesu Christi Regis or Feast of Christ the King through the encyclical Quas Primas to emphasise that Christians' ultimate allegiance lies with their spiritual ruler in heaven, rather than earthly authorities. Jesus Christ “is very truth, and it is from him that truth must be obediently received by all mankind” (Quas primas, 7). The encyclical highlighted that Christ must reign not only spiritually but also temporally. When the feast was later moved to the last Sunday of the liturgical year in the Mass of Paul VI, it reflected the shift in focus brought by the Second Vatican Council, emphasising that Christ’s reign would be fully realised at the end of time, rather than in earthly political domains.
In 1970, its observance in the Roman Rite was moved from October to the last Sunday of Ordinary Time, placing it at the end of the liturgical year. The feast can fall between November 20 and November 26 and typically marks the conclusion of Ordinary Time, which ends with Advent Sunday.
Cyril of Alexandria, an Egyptian bishop and theologian who is renowned for his role in the Council of Ephesus, taught that Christ has dominion over all creatures, a dominion not gained through violence or usurpation, but one that is His by essence and nature. Christ’s kingship is rooted in the Church’s teaching on the Incarnation. As fully God and fully man, Jesus is both the divine Lord and the man who suffered on the Cross. Through the hypostatic union, the Son of God, in human nature, reigns over all creation. Pope Pius XI wrote in Quas Primas - Christ is to be adored by angels and men and by reason of the hypostatic union, He has power over all creatures (Quas Primas, 13).
Christ must reign in our minds, which should fully accept and firmly believe in the revealed truths and doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey God's laws and commandments. He must reign in our hearts, which should reject worldly desires, love God above all, and cling to Him alone. He must reign in our bodies and members, which should serve as instruments for the sanctification of our souls or as St. Paul writes- instruments of justice unto God (Quas Primas, 33).
The Feast of Christ the King also has an eschatological aspect, pointing to the end of time when Christ's kingdom will be fully established across the entire earth. This solemnity reminds us that, although Christ reigns now in the hearts of believers, His reign will one day be manifested in its complete fullness, when all creation will recognise His sovereign rule.
Tall statues of Christ the King worldwide commemorate various historical and religious events. In Almada, Portugal, the statue was built in gratitude for being spared from WWII and marking 50 years of the world’s consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In Lubango, Angola statue was erected by settlers to symbolise colonial interests. The end of the War of a Thousand Daysmarks the erection of statue at Los Andes, Colombia. In Madeira, Portugal: the statue honours the memory of non-Catholic Christians martyred by being thrown off cliffs until 1770, while the statue in Dili, East Timor represents Catholic faith, suffering, and Christ, as well as East Timor's integration into Indonesia.
The statue of Jesus Christ in Świebodzin, Poland, is the tallest, measuring 52.5 meters, as recognised by Guinness World Records in 2010. The Jesus Buntu Burake statue in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, completed in 2015, stands 40 meters tall. Bolivia’s Cristo de la Concordia or Christ of the Peace, completed in 1994, measures slightly over 33 meters without its pedestal. Spain's Cristo del Otero, built in 1931, is 21 meters tall. Christ the King in Chamonix, France, a 25-meter statue, was inaugurated in 1933, while Romania's metal Christ stands at nearly 23 meters. There are many more statues worldwide.
