40 HOURS DEVOTION

The Forty Hours Devotion is a Roman Catholic practice that involves continuous prayer and adoration of the Eucharist for 40 hours, usually over three days. This devotion originated in Italy in the 16th century and was introduced to the rest of the Catholic world by Pope Clement VIII in 1592. The practice gained popularity during the Counter-Reformation as a way to combat heresy and to encourage devotion to the Eucharist. The Forty Hours Devotion is now observed in many Catholic parishes around the world, often as an annual or bi-annual event. It remains an important spiritual practice for Catholics as a way to deepen their faith and to honor the presence of Christ in the Eucharist.