Maundy Thursday is an integral part of the Christian calendar, marking the eve of Jesus of Nazareth's crucifixion. The original day was steeped in emotion, the last gathering of Jesus's friends in the knowledge that on the morrow he was to meet his death.
Maundy Thursday
The day takes its name from a latin word, mandatum from which we get the word mandatory, meaning something that must be done. On that first Thursday Christ exorted his disciples that they should love one another, a command for their future conduct.
The day was symbolised in other ways, by the sharing of food and, as an act of reverence, love and humility, by Jesus washing the disciples' feet. Other beliefs have evolved, such as the curse of the number thirteen, there being thirteen people present at this last supper. In Germany, the eating of spinach and other green vegetables on this day has become customary, while almonds, perhaps shaped like tears, are eaten in some countries.
With a belief in the Divine Right of Kings and that the monarch was a representative of god on earth, it behove a ruler to show his own humility by carrying out this tradition, not only washing, but also kissing the feet of the poor. In England, it was practised until 1689 when the Catholic monarch was finally replaced with a Protestant succession.
Until that time, the ceremony was performed at Westminster Abbey, the feet of the poor being given a good scrubbing beforehand by the "yeomen of the laundry." At the same time, gifts of clothing and food were offered to the poor.
Gradually it fell to the contempory archbishop to carry out the ceremony on the sovreign's behalf but in 1932 King George V agreed to undertake the distribution of money personally. When Dr Rowan Williams was elected Archbishop of Canterbury in 2003, to the surprise of many he reintroduced the custom of foot washing.
Maundy Money
The distribution of money dates back to the 13th century and the recipients were selected as a reward for their service to the community. Until the 18th century, the money went only to persons of the same sex as the reigning monarch but thereafter both equal numbers of men and women were rewarded. With each passing year, one more penny is added to commemorate the monarch's age.
Instead of general currency, coins were especially minted for the occasion in four denominations - a groat, a threepence, a half groat and a penny. They were - and still are, made of silver. The British coins bear the original image of Queen Elizabeth, first minted at the time of her accession in 1953 and designed by artist Mary Gillick.
The Maundy Service
The Maundy service is now held at different cathedrals each year and pensioners from that locality are selected to be recipients of the royal largesse.
Yeomen in their traditional tudor uniforms carry the money to the cathedral on golden alms trays on which are a series of red and white pouches. Each recipient will receive one of each colour, in which will be the traditional maundy coins (white purse) and some other symbolic money (in red). In 2009 at Bury St Edmunds, a special £5 coin was distrubuted, marking the 500th anniversary of the accession of Henry VIII plus a 50 pence coin celebrating the founding of Kew Gardens.
This year the ceremony moves to York where the Queen will hand out maundy money to the value of 86 pence, being the sum of her age.
Sources:
Royal Mint coinage
Maundy Thursday
