In the week before Easter, for all Orthodox Christians comes Thursday of Holy Week (week), or Maundy Thursday, which is also called Maundy Thursday and Maundy Thursday. In 2010 it occurs on April 1st.
On the day of Holy Thursday, the Church remembers four events at once: the Last Supper, at which Jesus Christ established the sacrament of the Eucharist (Communion), His washing the feet of the disciples, His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane and the betrayal of Judas.
The most important gospel event is the Last Supper, at which Christ established the New Testament sacrament of Holy Communion (Eucharist).
By washing the feet of his disciples, Jesus set an example of brotherly love and humility. Prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, the betrayal of Judas, the arrest of Jesus Christ and the trial of the high priests and the procurator of Judea Pontius Pilate - all these events are interconnected and form the main content of the Holy Thursday service. From this day until Sunday, in all Orthodox churches, church services are dedicated to the memory of the earthly suffering of the Savior.
Maundy Thursday, directly adjacent to the main days of the church year - Good Friday, Great Saturday and Easter, is close to them in its significance. This is, first of all, due to the special status of the Liturgy of Maundy Thursday, which is doubly dedicated to the Last Supper.
According to the Church Charter, the Consequence of the Holy Passion should begin at 8 pm on Maundy Thursday. In its liturgical form, this is Good Friday Matins, or the service of the 12 Gospels, as this service is usually called, during which the “12 Gospels” are read, that is, 12 parts of the four Gospels, which describe the earthly suffering of Jesus Christ. In time, these events relate to the night from Thursday to Friday and from the day of Good Friday to its evening.
The service on Maundy Thursday is also called “passion” or “great standing”, since during the all-night vigil it is not allowed to sit. While reading the Gospels, everyone stands with lit candles. In Russia there was a custom, still preserved in some places, of not extinguishing the candles with which they stood during the 12 Gospels, of bringing the fire home and storing it in lamps until Easter.
On Maundy Thursday, liturgies of St. Basil the Great are traditionally held in all Orthodox churches. After the Liturgy, if a bishop is serving, the rite of washing the feet is performed.
On Holy Thursday, during the Rite of Washing the Feet, the bishop, in the image of Christ, who washed the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper, washes the feet of the sitting clergy in the church as a sign of deep humility and wipes them with a special towel.
In modern history, for the first time, the Rite of Washing the Feet was performed in 2009 by the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Epiphany Cathedral in Moscow after the Divine Liturgy of Maundy Thursday.
Currently, this rite has entered into the liturgical practice of some Local Orthodox Churches; it is performed in certain dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church. In addition, this rite is performed in the Roman Catholic Church, in the Armenian Apostolic Church. In general terms, the rite has also been preserved in some Protestant denominations; In Protestant communities, men wash their feet and women wash their feet.
On Maundy Thursday, all Orthodox Christians usually take communion. In Russia, until 1917, the majority of Orthodox Christians received communion only on Maundy Thursday - once a year; Nowadays they receive communion more often, but communion on Maundy Thursday still remains very special. After the service, everyone approaches the Crucifix, bows to the ground three times, kisses it and leaves the church.
On Maundy Thursday, the Orthodox Church has long performed the rite of making myrrh, during which the Patriarch personally or those bishops whom the Patriarch blessed, boil and bless the myrrh - a special fragrant wooden oil with red wine, brewed from various resins and incense. In the Orthodox Christian Church, the preparation of holy myrrh is of particular importance, since myrrh is used during the sacrament of Confirmation, which occurs once in the life of an Orthodox Christian - after baptism (through anointing, the grace of the Holy Spirit is communicated to believers).
On Maundy Thursday, the Reserve Gifts are also prepared for the communion of the sick. The Body and Blood of Christ, consecrated at the Liturgy of Maundy Thursday, are preserved in a special reliquary (usually made in the form of a temple), which is called a tabernacle. The monstrance stands on the throne in the altar and from there the priests take the Body and Blood of Christ throughout the year and, transferring it into a smaller reliquary - the monstrance, they give communion to those who, due to old age or weakness, cannot come to the temple and receive communion in the temple.
Preparations for Easter begin on Maundy Thursday. Great importance was attached to ablution on this day. Water was taken early in the morning, before sunrise. Having collected water, the women first doused themselves, then their husbands and adult children doused themselves. Small children were washed in the hut with heated water. It was believed that those who performed this ritual would not get sick all year. In some places they washed themselves from silver by putting some silver object (coin, ring) into the water. This was done in order to live richly.
It was believed that if you wash the floors on Maundy Thursday, the hut will be clean all year. The hut was also decorated: clean holiday rugs were laid out, beautiful towels and curtains were hung. Having finished decorating the hut, they made sure to paint the eggs and prepare for the Easter table - they made the dough (they put a lot of eggs, whipped whites, a lot of butter and sugar into the Easter cake dough), and began preparations for making Easter.
Superstitious ideas that had roots in pagan antiquity have been preserved about Maundy Thursday. In Russia, many rituals of Maundy Thursday were associated with the desire to cleanse the house, garden, and yard from dirt accumulated over the winter, from evil spirits lurking in the corners, to prevent diseases and other misfortunes. In a variety of places, it was customary to collect juniper and fumigate with it interior spaces, vegetable gardens, udders of cows and goats, barrels for cucumbers and cabbage. Sometimes they would drive cattle through the smoking heather (juniper) and step over it themselves; this was considered a very effective remedy against disease and evil spirits.
On Maundy Thursday they prepared "Thursday" salt. Ordinary coarse salt was fired in a stove, or oven, sometimes with leaven grounds, and on Thursday night they were placed on the table along with bread. On Easter it was served to the table. Some of the salt was stored until sowing, and was also given to livestock before moving out for the first grazing. This ritual, which was integrated into Lent, has deep ancient Slavic roots and is associated with seasonal peasant work. The peasants explained that such salt was purified from filth, that is, from the touch of the hand of Judas the traitor, therefore it had healing properties and was stored for a year as a remedy for people and livestock. According to legend, salt protected from misfortunes, the evil eye and evil spirits.
The material was prepared based on information from open sources
Lent, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are signs of the imminent arrival of Easter. This bright spring holiday is sacredly revered by Orthodox Christians all over the world. The Church calendar does not provide fixed dates for each of these days, so it is important for believers to know what dates they fall on in 2018.
This information will tell you not only when to perform the traditional ritual of ablution, clean up, prepare baked goods and go to the temple. It is useful for carrying out conspiracies and rituals for money, love, health and well-being.
Clean Thursday 2018: Why clean?
During Weekend, every day is great for Orthodox Christians. During this period, believers keep a strict fast and heed the sacred essence of signs and predictions preceding the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. A special mission is assigned to Thursday, popularly nicknamed “clean”. It is on the 4th day of Holy Week that well-known events occur:
- last supper
- Jesus washing the feet of the apostles
- Revelations in the Garden of Gethsemane
- Betrayal of Judas
These gospel parables tell not only about the kindness and self-sacrifice of the Savior. They show people the righteous path to eternal life. Lent before the Holy Resurrection of Christ leads to the purification of the soul and body, and the result is strengthened by swimming in open water. It symbolizes the final rejection of the hardships of an imperfect and cruel world, heals and restores strength.
As the Gospel tells us, it was on Thursday evening that Jesus gathered all his disciples for the Last Supper. In order to show them an example of humility and love for one's neighbor, Christ washed the feet of each of the apostles with water, and then shared bread and wine with them. Thus, the Lord established the rite of Holy Communion, which is still performed not only by the Orthodox, but also by Catholics and representatives of the Lutheran Church.
Due to the fact that Maundy Thursday is inextricably linked with Easter, since it always falls on the seventh week of Lent, it is not difficult to determine what date it will occur in 2018. It is simply necessary to subtract three days from the date of the Resurrection of the Lord. We receive the following information:
Maundy Thursday traditions
Despite the fact that on Maundy Thursday morning and evening services are held in cathedrals and churches, on this day you are allowed to do a lot of things around the house. In particular, to restore order. After all, it is believed that if you don’t clean up on this day, the family will spend the whole year in quarrels. Even in churches, cleaning and cleaning of church utensils is carried out between services.
After putting the house in order, housewives traditionally begin preparing dishes for the upcoming Easter holidays. They bake Easter eggs, dye eggs, prepare jellied meat, and bake meat in the oven. But, due to the fact that fasting is still ongoing, you cannot even taste the cooked food.
Since ancient times, another tradition of this day in Russia has been the preparation of the so-called Thursday salt, which has healing powers. It is either baked in an oven in a linen bag, or slaughtered until dark in a frying pan. Salt is stored for a year and used as needed. There are many options for using Thursday salt as a talisman if something is not going well in the house. Here are a few of them:
- To prevent children from getting sick, add a little salt to the water while bathing.
- Peace and tranquility in the house can be found if salt is poured in small quantities under all beds.
- If an unwanted guest came into the house, salt was quietly added to his food.
- A bag of salt placed under the pillow will help reconcile the spouses.
- To cleanse the house of negative energy, salt is added to the water used to wash the floor.
On Maundy Thursday, parishioners always tried to take the candles lit in the church home. The flame of the so-called “passion candle” was used to burn a cross on the ceiling beam between the inside and outside of the house. According to legends, this cross is supposed to protect the house from various evil spirits entering it.
Church service on Maundy Thursday
In churches and temples on Maundy Thursday, two services are performed: morning and evening. The latter, in its form, is the morning of Good Friday and is considered the longest in the annual cycle.
During this service, which is called “The Twelve Gospels” and begins at eight o’clock in the evening, passages from the Gospel are read, which describe the last days and hours of Christ’s life on earth: from the moment of Jesus’ conversation with his disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane to the crucifixion and burial .
The entire service in the temple is performed with lit candles, which are held in the hands of parishioners and clergy. At the end of the service, the candles are not extinguished, but taken home. They try to preserve the sacred fire in lamps until the day of the Resurrection of Christ
Maundy Thursday 2018: When and how to celebrate?
Preparation for the onset of the Holy Resurrection of Christ continues for a whole week, called Holy Week by the Orthodox. During this period, the strictest fast is observed in the name of Jesus and the hardships he experienced. Maundy Thursday in 2018 will fall on April 5th.
On this day, it is customary for Orthodox Christians to get up before sunrise and:
- wash away your sins;
- clean the house;
- prepare ritual food for Easter.
Open springs are preferred for ablution, as there is a belief that the water becomes holy overnight, heals and removes sins. It is better to wash your face using silver dishes. Having cleansed the body, it is time to clean the house, thereby expelling all filth. Having put everything in order, it’s time to pray and start baking Easter kulesh, preparing Easter eggs and dyes.
Maundy Thursday 2018: Beliefs and signs
From time immemorial, it is forbidden to give away anything from home on this holy day. Any little thing, even banal salt, which the neighbor did not have, will take away prosperity and peace. A passionate candle is brought from the church. It is customary to light it during illnesses to inhale the healing aroma. For medicinal purposes, it is also recommended to prepare Thursday salt: bake it and consecrate it in church.
It is believed that on Maundy Thursday otherworldly forces awaken. A candle from the evening service will help you communicate with them. You need to light it and go in search of the brownie, who loves to live in dark nooks and attics. If the shadow of a shaggy spirit appears, then this means wealth, while a bald one means poverty.
Many customs and beliefs on this day are associated with water.
Firstly, our ancestors tried to swim or simply wash themselves before sunrise. It is believed that this gives strength and health.
Secondly, after cleaning, dirty water should be poured outside the house and even the yard. After all, the negative energy that has accumulated over the year can negatively affect the life and health of family members. It is best to pour such water where no one walks and where nothing grows.
Thirdly, women who cannot arrange their personal lives should go to the river at midnight of this day, go into the water up to their waists and ask the Lord for marriage.
Even on the day when Maundy Thursday comes, you can:
- find long lost things,
- to bewitch the betrothed,
- attract wealth to the house, three times a day, counting all the money in the house,
- cut hair.
I would like to dwell on the last point in more detail. They say that if you cut your hair on this day, you can be cleansed of the sins that have accumulated over the year. Also, a haircut on Maundy Thursday will help make your hair more beautiful and voluminous. In addition, on this day it is recommended to cut the hair of a child who is one year old for the first time. At the same time, do not throw away the cut hair, but save it and use it as a talisman.
Great Maundy Thursday in Orthodoxy is the fourth day of Passion Week, which comes before the celebration of Easter (Bright Resurrection of the Savior). In 2019, the date of this church event will be April 25th.
What is Maundy Thursday for Orthodox Christians?
Maundy Thursday is usually considered a temporary Christian custom. This day is dedicated to the Last Supper, where Christ and his disciples had their last meal. Here the Son of God personally gave consecrated bread and wine to the apostles, allowing them to touch the Creator.
last supper
A divine service with hymns and reading of the Holy Scriptures takes place within the church walls. On this day, believers mentally take part in biblical events, approaching the knowledge of God.
About the other days of Holy Week:
Believers who are in a special mood of spirit and come to worship services, as well as clergy, experience this grandiose moment in the life of the Savior. On Maundy Thursday there is a large increase in Christian ascetics in the walls of churches.
Important! The Sacrament of Communion is one of the main events in the life of a religious ascetic. It is the moment of union of the individual soul and God. On Maundy Thursday, the ritual of communion has the deepest benefits for a person.
Maundy Thursday Prayers
The liturgy has some peculiarities: both parishioners and priests sing a specific prayer before communion. In large churches, a foot-washing ceremony is performed, where the bishop, imitating the work of Christ, washes the feet of church servants.
On a note! At the Last Supper, a significant event occurred, which is called the rite of the Eucharist. The term translated means “good” or “reverence.” The ritual consists of consecrating pieces of bread and vessels with wine with a special prayer. By eating such divine food, Orthodox believers have the opportunity to join the Body of the Lord and find a better life. Continuation of ministries
The liturgy, named after St. Basil the Great, is combined on Maundy Thursday with Vespers, so the ancient custom allowed its reading only in the afternoon. This divine service is the “conductor” of those present to the main theme, and the stichera “Lord, I cried” condemn the fall of Judas. One text draws a parallel between the traitor of Christ and the envious Israelites who began to blaspheme the Lord while crossing the desert.
Next, the clergy read three proverbs: about the dialogue between the people of Israel and God; about the conversation between the Creator and Job; about prophecies that speak about the passion of Christ. These parts significantly lead those present to the theme of the Last Supper.
- In Exodus, Christians notice that God's people already stood in fear of the decision of the Most High Creator. On Maundy Thursday, He himself condescended and distributed the Body and Blood to his beloved disciples.
- The text about Job says that God personally appeared to him. All the doubts of this righteous man were dispelled after he heeded the words of the Heavenly Father.
- The third proverb is a prophecy of Isaiah that includes details of the suffering on the cross. The power of the Messiah lies in the fact that He always loved even his enemies and did not respond to insults and humiliation.
- After this, they read the Gospel, where they choose stories that include the background and consequences of the Last Supper. At the dismissal of the liturgy, the prayer behind the pulpit is read and the ritual of washing the feet is performed. Simultaneously with the action, the Gospel of John is sung.
Foot washing ceremony
Permissions and prohibitions
Each day of the final week of Lent is dedicated to memories of the last days of the Savior’s stay on earth, which in church tradition are called Passion or Great Days
Maundy Thursday falls on the last week of Great Lent and marks the beginning of preparations for the bright holiday of the Resurrection of Christ
On Maundy Thursday of Holy Week, during services, four events are remembered at once, in particular the Last Supper, at which the Savior established the Sacrament of the Eucharist (Communion), washed the disciples’ feet, the prayer of Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane and the betrayal of Judas.
Maundy Thursday
Since ancient times, Maundy Thursday of Holy Week has been considered a day of renewal, which is endowed with special power, because it is the harbinger of the grave earthly suffering of Jesus Christ, after which the Bright Resurrection will come.
The history of Maundy Thursday has its roots in early Christianity - it is associated with the Last Supper - one of the most significant gospel events that preceded the crucifixion of Christ.
Christ, during the last meal with his disciples, as the evangelists say, said that he would be betrayed by one of them, then captured by the Roman authorities and crucified. Judas sold his teacher on that distant night for thirty pieces of silver.
For any Christian, Maundy Thursday is a symbol of complete spiritual and physical cleansing - the day when Jesus Christ washed the feet of his disciples, thereby showing an example of the humility of a true Christian and brotherly love.
Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II, in memory of this, on Maundy Thursday, according to tradition, washes the feet of twelve priests, like the Savior - the apostles.
The essence of Maundy Thursday of Holy Week, as the clergy explain, is to show how ready people are to be tolerant, sincere and compassionate towards everyone around them.
Holy Communion and services
At the last meal with the apostles - the Last Supper, Jesus Christ established the main Sacrament of the Church - Holy Communion (Eucharist).
The Savior, having gathered his closest disciples, gave them wine and broke bread for them with the words: “Take, eat, this is My Body given for you, and My Blood shed for you.”
Holy Communion is recognized by all Christians - believers partake of bread and wine, meaning the body and blood of Jesus Christ underneath them.
Church services in all Orthodox churches from Maundy Thursday to Sunday are dedicated to memories of the earthly suffering of the Savior. Holy Thursday is a symbolic transition from sinful mortal life to spiritual cleansing.
Therefore, believers on this day come to church for worship and partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.
On the evening of Maundy Thursday of Holy Week, Matins of Good Friday is celebrated - this service is called the service of the 12 Gospels, which is dedicated to the reverent remembrance of the saving sufferings and death of the Savior on the cross.
On Maundy Thursday in the evening or late at night, a story is read about the last meeting and meal of Jesus Christ with His disciples, about the terrible night He spent alone in the Garden of Gethsemane awaiting death, a story about His crucifixion and His death.
Maundy Thursday is the beginning of the strictest part of Lent - it continues until Easter and involves significant restrictions on food, complete abstinence from drinking alcohol and smoking.
Traditions
On Maundy Thursday, it is customary to take a swim before sunrise in order to symbolically wash away all the sins that have accumulated over the year. Then visit church to confess and receive communion.
The candle lit on Maundy Thursday must be brought home from church, trying not to extinguish it along the way. In the old days, it was believed that this candle protected the house from fires and the family from illnesses.
Having paid tribute to the church, true Christians begin to prepare their home for the great holiday - this is the day of thorough house cleaning and laundry. No household chores can be done on Friday and Saturday following Thursday, otherwise “dirt and dust may get into Jesus’ eyes.”
On Maundy Thursday, according to the clergy, it is important to cleanse your soul, and then take care of the cleanliness of your body and home.
In addition to cleaning, on Maundy Thursday you also need to take care of the Easter table - make Easter cottage cheese, bake Easter cakes, paint eggs. In Georgia, according to tradition, eggs are painted on Friday afternoon, before sunset.
Thursday salt is also prepared on this day; it has healing properties. To do this, ordinary salt is calcined in an oven and then consecrated in a church.
Maundy Thursday in the old days was a brewing day - beer was brewed for the whole week in advance.
In the Orthodox tradition, many rituals and signs are associated with Maundy Thursday, including pagan ones, which were preserved after the adoption of Christianity. They are associated with personal and family well-being, as well as health.
According to tradition, rituals on Maundy Thursday were performed throughout the day - from dawn to midnight. In Georgia, the oldest tradition is Chiakokonoba - a pagan holiday that has been preserved since ancient times.
Chiakokonoba, a holiday similar to the Slavic night of Ivan Kupala, is celebrated on the night of Maundy Thursday - in some villages they still light large bonfires as soon as it gets dark.
People start jumping over the fire when the main part of it is burned, because they believe that this cleanses them of evil spirits. "Chiakokonoba" brings great joy to children, but the Georgian church considers this old tradition a manifestation of paganism and opposes the celebration.
Customs and signs
On Maundy Thursday, according to popular belief, it is necessary to remove all the rubbish from the house during general cleaning, including the trash that is stored in the corners.
For example, it is better to give an item that has not been used for a year to someone who needs it more. Such “cleaning” will help create an atmosphere of comfort and love in the house, removing from it the “negativity” that has accumulated over many years.
According to ancient tradition, washing your face on Maundy Thursday with a silver coin or spoon will give a person not only beauty, but also good health.
Maundy Thursday is considered one of the most majestic and important Orthodox events. It is also called Maundy Thursday, emphasizing the divinity and sacred power of the holiday. According to legend, it was on this day, during the Last Supper, that Jesus Christ showed his disciples a lesson in humility and brotherly love by washing their feet. As for the date of the celebration, it is not constant from year to year, but depends solely on the day of another great holiday - Holy Easter. Maundy Thursday always falls during Holy Week, which takes place before Easter. Based on this, if the Resurrection of the Savior in 2015 is celebrated on April 12, then the celebration of Maundy Thursday falls on April 9.
What traditions exist during the celebration of Maundy Thursday? Firstly, it is very important to remember that Maundy Thursday is considered the most strict part of Lent, which lasts three days, until the onset of Great Easter. This means that you need to significantly limit yourself in drinking alcohol and smoking. If you are addicted to bad habits, try to abstain from them at least these days. The Orthodox Church also imposes many prohibitions on food, recommending strict fasting on these days.
It is impossible not to mention economic affairs. During Maundy Thursday, believers do a thorough cleaning of the house and start doing laundry. After all, neither the next day nor the weekend, you can do any household chores. According to legend, if this tradition is neglected, then “dust and dirt can get into the eyes of Christ.” After cleaning, you need to devote time to the Easter table: bake a variety of Easter cakes, prepare Easter cottage cheese and paint eggs. The latter is very popular among the younger half of the population, so if you want to bond with your children, then be sure to get involved in painting and hand-painting eggs with them.
Based on the name of the holiday, one can understand another tradition. On this day, every believer must cleanse not only his home and wash his body, but also begin to cleanse his soul. This can be done if you come to the Sacrament of Confession and Communion. During the service, parishioners honor the memory of the Last Supper by receiving prosphora and a small sip of sacred Cahors from the clergyman.
What does Maundy Thursday symbolize? Maundy Thursday for an Orthodox person is an integral symbol of complete spiritual and physical cleansing. As we wrote earlier, according to the rules, all Christians must attend church, take communion and confess their own sins. At dawn on Maundy Thursday, everyone can swim in the running waters. This could be a lake or river near your home, or you can go to the bathhouse. The Bible says that on the day of the holiday, water acquires powerful magical properties that will significantly help strengthen the spirit and completely cleanse the soul. As for the bath, the hot steam on Maundy Thursday also gains strength, which has an impressive effect in the area of healing the body.
It is very important to understand the essence of this celebration - Jesus on this day wanted to show all people how tolerant, compassionate, and sincere you need to be towards yourself and other people who surround you. Therefore, it is important to honor and remember all the traditions of Maundy Thursday and do not forget to attend church to become closer to God.