Maundy Thursday, also known as Holy Thursday or Covenant Thursday, is a Christian holiday that falls on the fifth day of Holy Week, following Palm Sunday. This year, Maundy Thursday took place on April 6th, 2023.
The Maundy Thursday is followed by Good Friday (7 April), Holy Saturday (8 April) and Easter Day (9 April), otherwise known as Easter Sunday.
Easter Monday takes place on 10 April, which commemorates Jesus Christ’s resurrection, according to Christian belief.
On this day, Christians commemorate the Last Supper that Jesus Christ had with his 12 apostles, prior to his crucifixion. During the Last Supper, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples to show the importance of serving others. The word “Maundy” comes from the Latin word “mandatum,” meaning “command.”
According to Christian scripture, Jesus told his followers: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34.
Many believe that the Last Supper was a Passover meal, as wine and unleavened bread were included. However, it is not explicitly stated that the meal was a traditional Jewish Passover Seder. During the Last Supper, it is said that Jesus fed his followers bread, which represented his body, and wine, which represented his blood.
The ceremonial practice, known as Communion, Mass, or Eucharist, is recognised in the Christian service and involves consecrated bread and wine distributed to participants in the Catholic mass and in other Christian churches.
Following the Last Supper, Jesus and his disciples went to the nearby garden of Gethsemane to pray. Christian scripture reads that Jesus was betrayed that evening by one of his disciples, Judas, with a kiss on the cheek, and was later arrested and taken to trial.
Many believers mark Maundy Thursday by attending mass in Anglican churches across the UK, although this year that was not possible amid the coronavirus pandemic. In the past, it was customary for the monarch to wash worshippers’ feet in Westminster Abbey and hand out food and clothing. This practice remains a tradition in the Catholic and Armenian Apostolic Churches and is routinely performed by priests.
In the UK, Maundy money is a custom that takes place during the Royal Maundy service. The monarch hands out two small leather string purses containing special coins to elderly attendees. The red purse contains a standard coin, while a white one contains silver Maundy coins, amounting to the same number of pence as the years of the sovereign’s age. The first Maundy money ceremony took place during the reign of Charles II when the king gave people undated hammered coins in 1662. The coins are traditionally made of sterling silver and are designed especially for the service. They are legal tender and highly collectable.
In the past, the late Queen Elizabeth II would usually give Maundy money to pensioners as an act of charity and to mark the occasion. Since her death on September 8th, 2022, King Charles III has ascended the throne. This year, he presented 74 men and 74 women with a Maundy gift, with the number chosen to signify his age.