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Home , Maundy (foot washing)

What is Thursday?

Maundy Thursday is the fifth day of - the final week of

Lent, which begins on Palm Sunday and runs up until .

It gets its name from the Latin word 'mandare', from which we get the word 'command'. Christians remember 's command: "Love one another as I have loved you."

This is the day when Christians remember Jesus sharing the Last

Supper with his disciples before his death on Good Friday.

Why do Christians wash feet on ?

At the Jesus washed the disciples' feet as an act of hu- mility. Some churches recreate this act of service at special services on Maundy Thursday.

Foot washing is a reminder of how Jesus served others and of the kind of service Christians are meant to demonstrate to others.

Why do Christians say sorry for what they have done wrong?

Just as God sent his Son to forgive sins, Jesus has passed that commandment on to his followers.

The Lord's Prayer, in which Jesus taught about forgiveness, is one of the most important prayers in . It is the responsibility of humans to forgive sins, as Jesus gave the disciples the commandment to go out, teach and forgive sins.

Apologising is a way of recognising our sins. It has a way of clearing the air between people and between yourself and God. When people apologise they look for forgiveness for their sins.

The Last Supper/ What does the bread and wine mean?

Most Christians follow Jesus’ words at the Last Supper – to take bread and wine as an act of worship, remembering his death on the cross.

At the Last Supper, Jesus took bread, broke it and shared it around.

Then they all drank from a cup of red wine.

Jesus told his disciples the broken bread would remind them of his broken body and the wine would remind them of his blood when he died on the cross.

Jesus brought his closest followers together the night before he died because it was the time for the annual Jewish feast of .

This was a long, traditional meal, full of songs and prayers in which the Jewish people remembered how they had been freed from slavery in Egypt about 1500 years before Jesus’ birth. The meal is often known as the Last Supper because it was the last time Jesus ate with his followers before he died and rose again.

How should we try to behave during Communion?

We should try to be respectful during Communion. We should listen carefully.

What can we learn from this day?

The events of Maundy Thursday highlight the humility and servanthood of Jesus. His command to His disciples is a command that He leaves for us as well, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (:34-35).