Maundy Thursday falls the day before Good Friday. It is also known as Passion Thursday, Paschal Thursday or Sheer (or Shere) Thursday. The day commemorates the celebration of the Lord’s Eucharist during the Last Supper. This is mentioned in the Bible.
What happens on Maundy Thursday?
The word “Maundy” comes to us as an Anglo-French word derived from the Latin “mandatum,” which means “commandment.” It refers to when Jesus, in the Upper Room during the Last Supper, said to the disciples: “A new commandment I give you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” (John 13:34)
Maundy Thursday is the day before Good Friday. Here in Goa and other countries that practice Catholicism, people attend mass in the evening. During the service, in some places like Goa, churches have the blessing of holy oil and feet washing. This is a Catholic tradition which involves priests washing the feet of 12 people to symbolize Jesus washing the feet of his disciples.
As the Bible tells it, Jesus washed his disciples’ feet as a sign and example of humility and love. Maundy Thursday basically tells us about the events that unfolded the night before Jesus died on the cross.
Maundy Thursday is the beginning of the end of the Lenten season. Every church in Goa holds services which usually start at 6 pm and end by 8 pm.
Other places have certain traditions they they celebrate on Maundy Thursday which you can read about here.
ItsGoa/Mar/KDGP
