MaundyThursday(HolyThursday) MaundyThursday -alsocalled HolyThursday isthefeastorholydayontheThursday beforeEasterthatcommemoratestheLastSupperofJesusChristwiththeApostles. Onthisday, ChristiansremembertheLastSupper .DuringthemealJesustookbreadand wineandsharedthemwithhisdisciples.Christianscontinuetosharebreadandwineaspart oftheirworshipinchurch. TheLastSupperwasprobablyaPassovermeal –themealwhichJewishpeopleshare togethertocelebratethetimewhenGoddeliveredMosesandthepeoplefromslaveryin Egypt. ThenightofMaundyThursdayisthenightonwhichJesuswasbetrayedbyJudasinthe GardenofGethsemane. WhenisMaundyThursday? MaundyThursdayisthedaybeforeGoodFriday .Itisoneofthelesserknowndaysofthe Christiancalendar. WhatistheoriginofthenameMaundy? Thename'Maundy'isderivedfromthecommandormandatumbyChristattheLastSupper, toloveoneanother: 'AndnowIgiveyouanewcommandment:loveoneanother.AsIhavelovedyou,soyoumust loveoneanother. 'John15:12 Thewashingoffeet DuringtheLastSupper,Jesuswashedhisdisciples’feet.Thisacthassometimesbeen followedliterallyinhistoryasagoodwayofremindingrulersthattheyareheretoservetheir subjects. WhathappensinEnglandonMaundyThursday? InEngland,thecustomofwashingfeetbytheMonarchwascarriedoutuntil1689.Upuntil thentheKingorQueenwouldwashthefeetofthepooronMaundyThursdayinWestminster Abbey.(Youshould,however,notethatthefeetwerefirstwashedbyYeomanoftheLaundry beforethemonarchhadtowashthemandkissthem!).Foodandclothingwerealsohanded outtothepoor. © WoodlandsJuniorSchool,HuntRoadTonbridgeKentTN104BBUK MaundyThursdayCeremony InEnglandtoday,theQueenfollowsaverytraditionalroleof givingMaundyMoneytoagroupofpensioners.Thetradition oftheSovereigngivingmoneytothepoordatesfromthe 13thcentury. Everyyearonthisday,theQueenattendsaRoyalMaundy serviceinoneofthemanycathedralsthroughoutthe country.'Maundymoney'isdistributedtomaleandfemale pensionersfromlocalcommunitiesneartheCathedralwhere theServicetakesplace. TheService YeomenoftheGuardscarrytheMaundyMoneyinwhiteandredleatherpursesongolden almstraysontheirheads. TheamountofMaundyMoneyhandedout,andthenumberofpeoplereceivingthecoins,is equaltotheageofthemonarch. ThewhiteleatherpursecontainssilverMaundycoinsmatchingtheQueen'sageinpence- 82p ,whiletheredpursecontainsordinarymoney. In2008,82maleand82femalepensionerswillreceive82pinMaundyMoney,because theQueenis82yearsoldthisyear. Themenandwomenwhoreceivethecoinsareallretiredpensionersrecommendedbyclergy andministersofalldenominations,inrecognitionofservicetotheChurchandtothe community. WhatisMaundyMoney? Maundycoinsarespeciallymintedfortheoccasionandarelegal tenderand,astheyareproducedinsuchlimitednumbers,theyare muchsoughtafterbycollectors. AcompletesetofMaundymoneyconsistsof: groat(4p) threepence(3p) half-groat(2p) apenny(1p) © WoodlandsJuniorSchool,HuntRoadTonbridgeKentTN104BBUK OtherMaundyThursdayRituals ManyChristianscommemoratetheLastSupperinaspecialEucharist.Insomechurches,they maywasheachother'sfeet.Aftertheservicethealtarisstripped.SomeChristiansmayhold anallnightvigilinchurch,rememberingChrist'stimeintheGardenofGethsemane. "ThiseveningallovertheRomanChristianWorld(asopposedtotheOrthodox ChristianswhocelebrateEasterinacoupleofweekstime)peoplewillbecelebrating there-enactmentofOurLordsLastSupper,TheMass/HolyCommunion. IshallbedoingitwiththerestofmychurchinasmallNorfolkChurchwhereMaundy Thursdayhasbeencelebratedforthepast1200years. AfterourHolyCommunionweshallmoveofftoahouseandthencelebrateaSader meal,anotherenactmentoftheLastSupperJesusofNazarethsharedtogetherwith hisfriendsbeforebeingarrestedandtrialledonGoodFridaytomorrow." PhilipW © WoodlandsJuniorSchool,HuntRoadTonbridgeKentTN104BBUK .