It had been decades since Catholic churches celebrated Jesus Christ through Eucharistic Processionals.

The centuries-old tradition, which formally ended with the Second Vatican Council in 1965, is experiencing a revival — among younger Catholics, who want to see the church return to some of its historical devotional practices.

On Thursday, an estimated 300 students, along with nuns, priests, seminarians and Knights of Columbus members, participated in the third Eucharistic Procession, which started at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church/Newman Center on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus.

That’s triple the number of participants from 2006, when the first Newman Center procession was held.

Unlike churches in other parts of the country that hold the processional in the spring to coincide with the Feast of Corpus Christi, a day that celebrates the Eucharist, UNL students hold their event near All Saints Day (Saturday) and All Souls Day (Sunday).

All Saints Day, a holy day of obligation in the Catholic church, is a day to honor all saints and “give glory to God,” said the Rev. Daniel Rayer of the Catholic Diocese of Lincoln.

“By honoring the saints, we honor God who created them,” Rayer said.

“We pray to the saints so that they may intercede for us in heaven, just as we often ask each other to pray for us,” he said.

All Souls Day is a day to pray for the dead, a practice dating back to the beginning of Christianity. The belief is that all people who die need to be purified through prayer to be accepted into heaven.

The Eucharistic Processional is one of many Christian traditions experiencing a resurgence among young adult Americans, as author Colleen Carroll Campbell found while researching her book, “The New Faithful: Why Young Adults Are Embracing Christian Orthodoxy.”

The Eucharistic Processional is a much more common practice in Latin American countries, said Nikki Shasserre of the Newman Center. But in the past few years, processions have begun on secular as well as Christian campuses.

The processional shows adoration for the Eucharist, fosters devotion among the faithful and sanctifies places along the processional path.

“Because we believe the Eucharist is the body of Christ, the procession is literally taking Christ out in the world,” Shasserre said.

At the Newman Center, students were inspired to hold the processional after watching the  YouTube video “God in the Streets,” which took place in New York City in 2005, and took their plan to the Rev. Robert Matya of the Newman Center.

“Honestly, I was a bit hesitant at first, but wanted to provide what the students were looking for,” Matya said. “Over 100 students attended the procession the first year, nearly 300 the second year. … It is one of the most amazing things we now do.”

Matya said he, too, has noticed the trend toward religious tradition among young adults.

“College students are hungry for the truth. This generation is seeking the sacraments. They like devotion and welcome it, in a way that previous generations did not experience,” Matya said.

Reach Erin Andersen at 473-7217 or eandersen@journalstar.com.