LAKE JAMES

NORTH CAROLINA

MAUNDY THURSDAY

Maundy Thursday is the traditional English name for Thursday in Holy Week. The term “Maundy” is derived from St. John’s Gospel (John 13:34) where the Latin mandatum novum begins the verse which is translated as “A new commandment I give to you – love one another.” Another Latin name for this day is Feria Quinta in Cena Domini or in English “Thursday of The Lord’s Supper.”

The central emphasis and chief purpose for Maundy Thursday is a special celebration of our Lord’s Institution of the Eucharist, attested to by the Council of Hippo in the year 393, reflecting an already well established teaching of the Church. Because the celebration of the Eucharist is the chief task (and privilege) of the priesthood, Maundy Thursday is also a day in which we give thanks to God for that Order of ordained ministry in the Church.

For centuries, Maundy Thursday was also the day on which the Bishop of each diocese celebrated the “Chrism Mass” in the cathedral, consecrating the holy oils for use during the coming year and distributing them to parish priests for use in their congregations. Another feature of the day was the assembling of priests in the cathedral for the renewal of their vows. [In recent years, both in the Episcopal and Roman Catholic Churches, the Chrism Mass and Renewal of Priestly vows tends to take place on Tuesday in Holy Week, a day which, for both bishops and priests, is generally less crowded with obligations than Thursday.]

A particular feature of the celebration of Maundy Thursday is that, following the Eucharist, the Blessed Sacrament is carried to a distant place, the Altar is stripped of all adornments during the recitation of Psalm 22, and the faithful are invited to respond to Christ’s plea, “Could you not watch with me for one hour?” by spending an hour in prayer at the Altar of Repose. A.T.K.Z. +

This page last modified on Friday, April 11, 2008 09:40 PM