Maundy Thursday: what is it?

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Maundy Thursday, often called Maundy Thursday or Great Thursday, is the celebration of Christ’s last hours and always falls on the Thursday before Easter. In many Christian traditions, especially the Catholic and Orthodox ones, Holy Thursday is the last Eucharistic celebration and the integral Mass until the Easter Vigil. Maundy Thursday could be seen as the beginning of the summa of Lent, which concludes with the celebration of Easter.

There is some debate over the name “Maundy”. Some argue that it comes from the Latin word Mandatum, the beginning of the Latin phrase Christ speaks of the new commandment in John 13:34, “Love one another as I have loved you.” Others believe that Maundy comes from the Latin mendicare, which means to beg. It is often traditional to give cash gifts to the poor on Holy Thursday. Indeed, in England, the king or queen gives away Maundy bags to worthy but impoverished elderly people. In the United States it is more common to refer to Maundy Thursday as Maundy Thursday.

For some sects of Christianity, very important religious services are held on Holy Thursday, usually in the evening hours. These generally serve three purposes: to commemorate Christ’s Last Supper before his crucifixion, to include a reading of this passage in scripture, and also to acknowledge Judas’ betrayal of Christ. Many readings also include Christ’s suffering in Gethsemane.

Many Christian sects also celebrate Maundy Thursday by participating in a ritual foot washing, in duplication of Christ washing the feet of his apostles. Not everyone who attends such services has to wash their feet. This is usually voluntary and may be performed by priests or designated laymen. The point in using priests or ministers for this task is to show that Christ was born and sacrificed in the service of man, and that priests are to fulfill this same Christian function in their work.

While this was once rare, many churches of Protestant denominations also conduct foot-washing ceremonies. Most commonly the Roman Catholic, Armenian, Mennonite and Methodist churches have been associated with this ritual. Some Baptist churches conduct foot-washing ceremonies on a more regular basis than
simply on Holy Thursday.

In Catholic Churches, some Maundy Thursday masses will also include the Stations of the Cross, although this may be repeated on Good Friday. The Eucharist is consecrated and usually placed in a chapel or side altar, as the Eucharist is not celebrated until Easter services, unless the Sacrament for the sick or dying is being administered to someone. Many Christians also choose Maundy Thursday to conduct a Passover Seder, as the Last Supper is thought to have taken place during Passover. This occasionally coincides with the Passover dates for the year, although this is not always the case.

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