Maundy Thursday: what is its origin, what does it mean and why is it celebrated during Holy Week

The Church celebrates Maundy Thursday on April 6, 2023, in commemoration of Jesus’ Last Supper with the 12 apostles.

“The liturgy of Maundy Thursday is an invitation to concretely dive into the mystery of the Passion of Christ,” explains AciPrensa.

On this day, “Jesus instituted two sacraments for the salvation of the human race: the Eucharist and Ordination,” he adds.

According to AS, “The Mass of Maundy Thursday is dedicated to the success in the death of Christ, who would have given his life to save mankind from its sins.”

It was during that meeting with his apostles that he announced that one of them would betray him (Judas Iscariot).

Similarly, notes El Universal, it also revealed “Pedro’s denial, who would lie three times by assuring that he didn’t know his mentor before the rooster crowed.”

Every Maundy Thursday, AS unveils, the Christian festival that celebrates the Easter Triduumthe period in which the Catholic liturgy commemorates the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

wash feet

During Mass on Maundy Thursday, the priest performs the washing ritual.

After Jesus had eaten with the apostles, he got up, found a towel, and knelt before them to wash their feet.

“He gets down on his knees and says from below to everyone, not just the apostles: look, you are important to me,” said Father Carlos Zardin in a video published by El Tiempo.

Maundy Thursday: Institution of the Priesthood

Maundy Thursday celebrates the institution of the priesthood in a context of love, service and surrender.

Aciprensa says, “Jesus established a before and after in the life of Grace when he broke bread at the Last Supper and said to the apostles, “Do this in memory of me.”

For the Church, Jesus leaves his testament on this day: the Eucharist, the priesthood and the command to love one another.

Jesus takes the bread, breaks it and divides it among the guests saying: “Take and eat everything, for this is my body, which will be given up for you.”

He then takes a chalice full of wine and says: “Take and drink of it, all of you, for this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant, which shall be shed for you and for all men for the remission of sins.”

And concluded: “Do this in memory of me.”

This last sentence is interpreted by the Church as the institution of the priestly orderanother one of the seven sacraments, explains AS.

Before it is delivered, AciPrensa specifies, Christ is delivered as food.

In that Supper “the Lord Jesus celebrates his death: what he did, he did as a prophetic announcement and an anticipated and real offer of his death before his passion. That is why “when we eat of this bread and drink of this cup, we are proclaiming the death of the Lord until he returns” (1 Cor 11:26).

Da Vinci was able to paint a copy of ‘The Last Supper’

Visit to the monument

After Mass, in the churches, they make the procession to the Monument and the faithful visit the monuments (7 temples are visited in many countries).

“The place in the church where they take the Blessed Sacrament will be reminiscent of the Garden of Gethsemane,” explains Zardín.

What are the monuments?: In Cope they point out that “it is customary after the evening Mass on Maundy Thursday (the first day of the Easter Triduum) to make a monument to emphasize the Eucharist and to display it in a solemn way to the worship of the loyal”.

Indicates Father Carlos Zardín, on Maundy Thursday, the prayer in the garden of Gethsemane is commemorated.

The side chapel where the Most Blessed Sacrament is taken is in reality the representation of Gethsemane.

After Jesus has eaten with the 12 apostles, he goes to the Garden of Olives to retire in prayer.

“Think about what’s to come (the crucifixion and death), these are dramatic moments when Jesus comes to shed blood,” says Zardin

The purpose of visiting the monuments is not so much to go to as many temples as possible. Invites this priest: “It is the moment for reflection and the call to prayer of all, to put our hearts in contact with Jesus. Let’s find a few minutes of silence to share with Jesus the dramatic hours of his life.”

After he finished praying, Christ was caught by members of the army. The suffering and death of Jesus is approaching.