from the news:
[quote]
The Queen has marked Maundy Thursday with a moving ceremony, reducing members of the congregation to tears as she handed out commemorative coins.
The monarch beamed as she undertook the tradition of giving red and white purses containing Maundy money to pensioners, who were chosen in recognition of their service to the community and the Church.
She handed two purses - one white and one red - to each person during a procession of the Chapel, while the choir sang. Recipients and their guests could be seen wiping away tears after spending a brief moment with the royal who is set to celebrate her 90th birthday next month.
Names - mixed usage everywhere but:
- Maundy Thursday - England which uses Holy Thursday to mean Ascension; common Anglican usage
- Holy Thursday - common Catholic usage
- Great and Holy Thursday or Holy Thursday - Eastern Christianity
- Holy Thursday or Covenant Thursday - Coptic usage
- Shere Thursday - from Scandinavian influences
- Thursday of Mysteries - Maronites and Syriac Orthodox
Common services:
- consecration of the oils of anointing (Chrism Mass)
- foot washing (Armenian, Ethiopian, Eastern Catholic, Schwarzenau (German Baptist) Brethren, Church of the Brethren, Mennonite, and Roman Catholic traditions ... and spreading widely)
- Mass of the Lord's Supper or equivalent
- Altar of repose with Dominicans closing with the Farewell Discourse of John
- Orthodox 12 Gospels In Greek tradition, a procession is made during the service of the Twelve Passion Gospels. It takes place after the reading of the fifth gospel during the singing of "Today He Who Hung". During this procession, a large cross with the body of Christ is carried throughout the church while lights are extinguished, bells are slowly tolled, and the faithful prostrate themselves.
- stripping of the altar to the accompaniment of Psalm 21/22 a practice which continues in many Anglican churches. In other Christian denominations, such as the Lutheran Church or Methodist Church, the stripping of the altar and other items on the chancel also occurs, as a preparation for the somber Good Friday service
- The tradition of visiting seven churches on Holy Thursday is an ancient practice, probably originating in Rome and occurs among the faithful in countries around the world. In India the tradition is to visit fourteen churches, one per Station of the Cross.
This is the start of the liturgical season of Triduum and the end of Lent for Western rite Catholics.
