Why do we celebrate Maundy Thursday?

Maundy Thursday, also called Holy Thursday, is the Thursday before Good Friday and part of Holy Week, the week leading up to Easter. It commemorates the Last Supper, the final meal Jesus shared with his disciples in Jerusalem before his arrest and crucifixion.

Why do we celebrate Maundy Thursday?

At the Last Supper, Jesus is described as instituting the Eucharist (Holy Communion), sharing bread and wine with his disciples as symbols of his body and blood. According to the Gospel of John, he also washed his disciples’ feet as an act of humility and service, and gave them a new commandment: to love one another as he had loved them. The name “Maundy” comes from the Latin mandatum, meaning “commandment,” referring to this teaching.

Christian churches mark Maundy Thursday in different ways, often including a special Communion service, and in some traditions a foot-washing ceremony that re-enacts Jesus’ example. The day marks the beginning of the most solemn part of the Christian calendar, leading into Good Friday and Easter Sunday.