Maundy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter in the Christian Church.
Maundy Day was instituted in commemoration of the day when Jesus celebrated his final Passover with His disciples during His final week before being crucified and resurrected. Most notably, that Passover meal was when Jesus washed the feet of His disciples in an extraordinary display of servant love. Later in the evening he commanded his disciples to do the same for each other.
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another" (John 13:34).
Christ's "mandate" is commemorated on Maundy Thursday. The name is derived from the Latin mandatum, which means "command." It is the first word of the service chanted at the ceremony of washing the feet of pilgrims on that day, which was instituted in commemoration of Jesus' washing of the apostles' feet.
Maundy Thursday is the fifth day of Holy Week, preceded by Holy Wednesday and followed by Good Friday. The day comes always between March 19 and April 22, inclusive.
The foot-washing ceremony was observed in the Church from about the 4th Century and performed by the English sovereigns until the time of William III. The rite of foot-washing was abandoned in 1754.
Maundy Thursday celebrations in the United Kingdom (also called Royal Maundy) today involve the reigning monarch giving out money to deserving pensioners. Every year the monarch goes to a different cathedral and presents coins to senior citizens. Known as Maundy money or Royal Maundy, they are distributed in red and white purses. The number of gifts is the same as the age of the monarch at the time.
Maundy Day was instituted in commemoration of the day when Jesus celebrated his final Passover with His disciples during His final week before being crucified and resurrected. Most notably, that Passover meal was when Jesus washed the feet of His disciples in an extraordinary display of servant love. Later in the evening he commanded his disciples to do the same for each other.
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another" (John 13:34).
Christ's "mandate" is commemorated on Maundy Thursday. The name is derived from the Latin mandatum, which means "command." It is the first word of the service chanted at the ceremony of washing the feet of pilgrims on that day, which was instituted in commemoration of Jesus' washing of the apostles' feet.
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| Bishop Sebouh Chouldjian (Armenian Apostolic Church) during the Washing of Feet ceremony. By Psalm Tours |
Maundy Thursday is the fifth day of Holy Week, preceded by Holy Wednesday and followed by Good Friday. The day comes always between March 19 and April 22, inclusive.
The foot-washing ceremony was observed in the Church from about the 4th Century and performed by the English sovereigns until the time of William III. The rite of foot-washing was abandoned in 1754.
Maundy Thursday celebrations in the United Kingdom (also called Royal Maundy) today involve the reigning monarch giving out money to deserving pensioners. Every year the monarch goes to a different cathedral and presents coins to senior citizens. Known as Maundy money or Royal Maundy, they are distributed in red and white purses. The number of gifts is the same as the age of the monarch at the time.
The Royal Maundy custom in the UK dates back King John. On April 15, 1210 he was the first English monarch to be recorded as having distributed alms at a Maundy service - bringing various gifts to the poor of Knaresbough, North Yorkshire.
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