Celebrating Christ the King Sunday

On the last Sunday of the liturgical year, Christians around the world celebrate the Feast of Christ the King. Though a relatively new addition to the Church calendar, this feast carries deep theological significance. It proclaims what the Church has always believed: that Jesus Christ is not only our Savior, but our King, reigning now and reigning forever.

This feast was instituted in 1925 by Pope Pius XI in response to the social, political, and cultural upheaval that followed World War I. In the years after the war, Europe was fractured. Millions had died or been wounded, economies had collapsed, and people were turning away from traditional institutions, including the Church. Secular ideologies were gaining influence, and dictators like Mussolini and Stalin were beginning to rise.

Pius XI recognized that people were placing their hope in political figures and ideologies, rather than in God. In response, he wrote the encyclical Quas Primas and established the Feast of Christ the King. His goal was to remind the faithful that Christ’s authority extends beyond private religious devotion and into every part of our lives, personal, political, and societal. Christ is not merely King of our hearts; He is King of all creation.

The Kingship of Christ

When we speak of Christ as King, we mean that He holds authority over all things, over the heavens and the earth, over nations and history, over our minds, wills, and hearts. His kingship is not based on conquest or coercion, but on sacrificial love. Christ reigns not from a golden throne, but from the cross. His crown was made of thorns. His rule is marked by humility, service, and redemption.

This is the paradox of the Christian faith: the King of the universe came not to be served but to serve. He gave Himself for us, conquered sin and death through His resurrection, and ascended to the right hand of the Father. From there, He reigns now, even as we await His return in glory.

A Present Reality and a Future Hope

The Feast of Christ the King reminds us that Christ’s reign is both a present reality and a future hope. Today, He reigns in the hearts of those who submit to His lordship and live according to His Word. His kingdom is breaking in, even now, wherever justice, mercy, and love take root.

And yet, we also look ahead with expectation. The feast carries an eschatological weight, pointing us to the day when Christ will return to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will be fully realized. As St. Paul writes in Philippians:

“Therefore God has highly exalted himand bestowed on him the name that is above every name,so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,to the glory of God the Father.”— Philippians 2:9–11

It is fitting, then, that the Church places this feast at the very end of the liturgical year. We close the year by proclaiming Christ’s victory and sovereignty, and we begin the new year, on the first Sunday of Advent, by waiting for His coming. The rhythm of the Church year reminds us of the great mystery of our faith: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

Stir-Up Sunday

Long before the Feast of Christ the King was established, the final Sunday before Advent was already known in the Anglican tradition as “Stir-Up Sunday.” The name comes from the opening words of the collect for the day in the 1549 Book of Common Prayer:

“Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people;that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works,may by thee be plenteously rewarded;through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Because of this collect, it became traditional in England to prepare and “stir up” the Christmas pudding on this day. Families would gather in the kitchen and stir the batter together, often from East to West in honor of the journey of the Magi. Coins or charms were sometimes hidden inside the pudding, believed to bring blessings to the one who found them on Christmas Day.

Though it may seem like a lighthearted tradition, it beautifully echoes the spiritual posture of the season: preparation. Stir-Up Sunday marks a turning point, reminding us to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ.

How to Celebrate Christ the King Sunday

Like all liturgical feasts, Christ the King Sunday can be marked in both your home and your church. Here are some ways to honor this day:

Reflect on Scripture

• Read Revelation 17:14 and 1 Timothy 6:11–16 together as a family or small group.

• Talk about how Christ’s kingship differs from worldly power.

  
  

Pray the Collect

• Use the collect for Christ the King Sunday from the Book of Common Prayer:

“Almighty and everlasting God,whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son,the King of kings and Lord of lords:Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth,divided and enslaved by sin,may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule;who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,one God, now and forever. Amen.”

Add Crowns to Sacred Images

• Place gold crowns on crosses or crucifixes.

• Make paper crowns for children to decorate and wear.

• Add crowns to icons or images of Jesus in your home.

  
  

Prepare a Feast

• Dress in your best clothes and set the table with beautiful linens and candles.

• Serve “kingly” foods like chicken à la king, pork crown roast, or even a Christ the King pound cake (a golden bundt cake shaped like a crown).

• Listen to hymns such as “Crown Him With Many Crowns” or “Praise My Soul, the King of Heaven.”

  
  

Stir Up a Pudding

• If you’d like to try the English tradition, stir together a plum pudding (or any favorite dessert) and take turns making prayers or wishes as a family.

• Even if you don’t bake, reading the collect together is a beautiful way to mark the day.

  
  

A Feast for Every Season

Though the Feast of Christ the King was established in response to a particular historical moment, its message is timeless. In every age, the Church must proclaim the lordship of Christ. In every generation, we are called to resist the false kings of power, wealth, and self, and to kneel before the only King who is worthy.

In a world that feels increasingly fractured, this feast is a reminder that we are not lost. We are part of a kingdom that cannot be shaken. We belong to a King who rules with justice, mercy, and love.

As we prepare to enter Advent, let us do so with hearts stirred up, with eyes lifted high, and with joyful confidence in the One whose kingdom has no end.

the recipe -

Christ the King Pound Cake.pdf

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Christ the King Pound Cake

• 3 cups sugar

• ½ cup shortening

• 2 sticks butter, room temperature

• 6 eggs, room temperature

• 3 cups flour

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• 1 cup milk

• 1 teaspoon rum extract

• 1 teaspoon coconut extract

  
  

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Cream shortening, butter, and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift dry ingredients together. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, alternating with the milk. Add extracts and blend well. Pour batter into a buttered and floured 10-inch bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.