Maundy Thursday

The feast of Maundy (or Holy) Thursday solemnly commemorates the
institution of the Eucharist and is the oldest of the observances
peculiar to Holy Week. In Rome various accessory ceremonies were
early added to this commemoration, namely the consecration of the
holy oils and the reconciliation of penitents, ceremonies
obviously practical in character and readily explained by the
proximity of the Christian Easter and the necessity of preparing
for it. Holy Thursday could not but be a day of liturgical reunion
since, in the cycle of movable feasts, it brings around the
anniversary of the institution of the Liturgy. On that day, whilst
the preparation of candidates was being completed, the Church
celebrated the Missa chrismalis of which we have already described
the rite (see HOLY OILS) and, moreover, proceeded to the
reconciliation of penitents. In Rome everything was carried on in
daylight, whereas in Africa on HoIy Thursday the Eucharist was
celebrated after the evening meal, in view of more exact
conformity with the circumstances of the Last Supper. Canon 24 of
the Council of Carthage dispenses the faithful from fast before
communion on Holy Thursday, because, on that day, it was customary
take a bath, and the bath and fast were considered incompatible.
St. Augustine, too, speaks of this custom (Ep. cxviii ad
Januarium, n. 7); he even says that as certain persons did not
fast on that day, the oblation was made twice, morning and
evening, and in this way those who did not observe the fast could
partake of the Eucharist after the morning meal, whilst those who
fasted awaited the evening repast.

Holy Thursday was taken up with a succession of ceremonies of a
joyful character. the baptism of neophytes, the reconciliation of
penitents, the consecration of the holy oils, the washing of the
feet, and commemoration of the Blessed Eucharist, and because of
all these ceremonies, the day received different names, all of
which allude to one or another of solemnities.

Redditio symboli was so called because, before being admitted to
baptism, the catechumens had to recite creed from memory, either
in presence of bishop or his representative.

Pedilavium (washing of the feet), traces of which are found in the
most ancient rites, occurred in many churches on Holy Thursday,
the capitilavium (washing of the head) having taken place on Palm
Sunday (St. Augustine, " Ep. cxviii, cxix", e. 18).

Exomologesis, and reconciliation of penitents: letter of Pope
Innocent I to Decentius of Gubbio, testifies that in Rome it was
customary "quinta feria Pascha" to absolve penitents from their
mortal and venial sins, except in cases of serious illness which
kept them away from church (Labbe, "Concilia" II, col. 1247; St.
Ambrose, "Ep. xxxiii ad Marcellinam"). The penitents heard the
Missa pro reconciliatione paenitentium, and absolution was given
them before the offertory. The "Sacramentary" of Pope Gelasius
contains an Ordo agentibus publicam poenitentiam (Muratori,
"Liturgia romana vetus", I, 548-551).

Olei exorcizati confectio. In the fifth century the custom was
established of consecrating on Holy Thursday all the chrism
necessary for the anointing of the newly baptized. The "Comes
Hieronymi", the Gregorian and Gelasian sacramentaries and the
"Missa ambrosiana" of Pamelius, all agree upon the confection of
the chrism on that day, as does also the "Ordo romanus I".

Anniversarium Eucharistiae. The nocturnal celebration and the
double oblation early became the object of increasing disfavour,
until in 692 the Council of Trullo promulgated a formal
prohibition. The Eucharistic celebration then took place in the
morning, and the bihsop reserved a part of the sacred species for
the communion of the morrow, Missa praesanctificatorum (Muratori,
"Liturg. rom. Vetus", II, 993).

Other observances. On Holy Thursday the ringing of bells ceases,
the altar is stripped after vespers, and the night office is
celebrated under the name of Tenebrae.

H. LECLERCQ
Transcribed by Joseph P. Thomas

From the Catholic Encyclopedia, copyright � 1913 by the
Encyclopedia Press, Inc. Electronic version copyright � 1996 by
New Advent, Inc.

Taken from the New Advent Web Page (www.knight.org/advent).

This article is part of the Catholic Encyclopedia Project, an
effort aimed at placing the  entire Catholic Encyclopedia 1913
edition on the World Wide Web. The coordinator is Kevin Knight,
editor of the New Advent Catholic Website. If you would like to
contribute to this  worthwhile project, you can contact him by e-
mail at (knight.org/advent). For  more information please download
the file cathen.txt/.zip.

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