Holy Thursday

Holy Thursday is an annual and traditional Christian festival, celebrated on the Thursday before Easter Sunday, within Holy Week, it closes the Lenten Cycle and opens the Pascual Triduo at sunset of this day. On this day the Catholic Church commemorates the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper and the washing of the feet performed by Jesus according to the canonical gospels.

It is the fifth day of Holy Week, preceded by Holy Wednesday and followed by Good Friday.

Liturgy of Holy Thursday

Mass Crismal in the Basilica of Lateran in Rome, on the morning of Holy Thursday when it is still Lent, despite the white ornament

Foot wash. Jesus washes the feet of his disciples.

The prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.

The arrest of Jesus. Judas' kiss.

Holy Thursday commemorates the Institution of the Eucharist in the celebration of the Holy Offices. Later, in the so-called holy hour, the agony and prayer of Jesus in the olive grove, the betrayal of Judas and the arrest of Jesus are recalled.

Chrism Mass

On Holy Thursday morning, still being Lent, the so-called "Chrism Mass" is celebrated, which is presided over by the diocesan bishop and concelebrated by his presbytery. In it the Holy Chrism is consecrated and the other oils are blessed, which will be used in the administration of the main sacraments. Along with this, priests and deacons renew their promises made on the day of their ordination. It is a manifestation of the communion existing between the bishop and his presbyters in the priesthood and ministry of Christ. It is liturgically recommended, and it is a common practice to celebrate it in the cathedral.

Mass of the Lord's Supper

This is an evening mass that constitutes the introduction to the Paschal Triduum. The Holy Week services reach their maximum liturgical relevance on Holy Thursday. This afternoon begins the Pascual Triduum that will culminate on Easter Sunday, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Holy Offices of Holy Thursday are celebrated at 9:00 p.m., at dinner time, to commemorate the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples. However, for pastoral reasons, its beginning can be anticipated, and in no case can it begin before 6:00 p.m. Holy Thursday is Lent time until the ninth hour, that is, all morning until three in the afternoon. From there begins the Pascual Triduum, which will last from the afternoon of Holy Thursday until Easter Sunday. In the celebration, together with the celebrating priests, a layman participates, who will be the one who will inform us of what is going to be celebrated throughout these offices.

At the beginning of the celebration, the tabernacle must be presented empty with the door open. The main altar, where the Holy Mass will be celebrated, is decorated with candles, tablecloths and no flowers until the Resurrection.

It begins with the processional entrance, led by the acolytes, followed by the sacred ministers (deacons, concelebrants if any) and finished by the main celebrant, a Priest or Bishop. Meanwhile, the choir accompanies with songs, since Lent has already ended and one of the most important moments of the liturgical year is going to be celebrated, the Institution of the Eucharist and the commandment of love. The songs of this celebration are focused on the celebration of the institution of the Eucharist. The color of this celebration is Eucharistic white, replacing Lenten purple.

In this celebration the "Gloria" at the same time that the bells are rung, and when it ends, the bells stop ringing and will not ring again until the Pascual Vigil on Holy Night.

The readings of this day are very special, the first is from the book of Exodus (Prescriptions on the paschal dinner), the second reading is from the first letter of the apostle Saint Paul to the Corinthians (Every time you eat this bread and drink of this wine you proclaim the death of the Lord) and the responsorial psalm The Chalice that we bless is the communion with the blood of Christ. The Gospel is the moment of the washing of the feet of the disciples, which acquires an outstanding symbolism within the trades of the day, since later it is carried out by the priest washing the feet of twelve men in the manner of the twelve apostles and in which he remembers the gesture that Jesus made before the Last Supper with his disciples, taking place on this occasion between the Homily and the Offertory, omitting the Creed. During the washing of the feet, a song related to the New Commandment of Love delivered by Jesus Christ on this holy night is sung, highlighting phrases from the text of Jesus' speech at the last supper, collected by the Gospel of Saint John.

The celebration takes place in a festive atmosphere, but sober and with great solemnity, in which feelings of joy for the sacrament of the Eucharist and sadness for what will happen from that same Holy Thursday afternoon are mixed, with the imprisonment and trial of Jesus.

At the time of the Eucharistic Prayer, the recitation of the Roman Canon or Prayer I is preferred, since the text foresees some paragraphs directly related to what is celebrated on this day (Communicants, Memento and account of the institution ["on this night..."]).

Once Communion has been distributed as usual, the Blessed Sacrament is moved from the Altar where Mass has been celebrated in procession through the interior of the church, to the so-called "Altar of the reserve" or "Monument", an ephemeral altar that is placed expressly for this celebration, which must be outside the presbytery and the central nave, since the Eucharist is not celebrated on Good Friday. If the tabernacle is not in the chancel, the usual tabernacle located in a side chapel can be used for this. When the procession arrives at the place of the Monument, while some Eucharistic hymn such as the Pange Lingua is sung, the priest deposits the ciborium with the Blessed Sacrament, duly covered by the cone, inside the sanctuary of the reserve, and placed on his knees, he incenses it. He does not give the blessing with the Blessed Sacrament or pray the praises, but rather stays for a few moments praying in silence. Before retiring, he closes the door of the reserve tabernacle, genuflects and retires to the sacristy in silence accompanied by acolytes and ministers.

Automatically, once the Blessed Sacrament has been reserved, the offices end in a sharp way, since the priest does not impart the blessing, since the celebration will continue the next day and it is the laity who informs us that the celebration has ended and we are invited to commemorate the death of the Lord the next day.

In some churches, a simple act of removal of the altars is then celebrated, in which the priests and ministers dressed exclusively in the purple stole, remove candlesticks and tablecloths from all the altars in the church, and in some cases the they wash by squeezing bunches of grapes.

During the night the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is maintained in the "Monument", celebrating the so-called "Holy Hour" around midnight, the Blessed Sacrament remaining there until the celebration of Good Friday. This reserve recalls the agony and prayer in Gethsemane and the imprisonment of Jesus, and for this reason the priests celebrating the offices ask that they watch and pray with Him, as Jesus asked his apostles in the Garden of Gethsemane. Once the services have finished, the prayer and agony of Jesus in the olive grove, the betrayal of Judas and the arrest of Jesus are remembered, which is usually celebrated with processions in the evening of Holy Thursday.

In some places, there is a tradition of visiting seven monuments in different Temples of the same city, to remember, as "seasons", the different moments of the agony of Jesus in the Garden and his subsequent arrest.

For a few years now, the Catholic Church has celebrated Holy Thursday, the so-called Day of Fraternal Love.

History

On Holy Thursday Jesus dined on Easter with his apostles or disciples, following the Jewish tradition, since according to this a pure and year-old lamb had to be eaten; The door should be sprinkled with its blood as a sign of purification, since if this was not done, the exterminating angel would enter the house and kill the firstborn of that family (tenth plague), according to what is reported in the book of Exodus..

The date of Holy Thursday

In a calendar that varies each year to match Easter to the first full moon after the spring equinox in the northern hemisphere (autumn equinox in the south), the closest Maundy Thursday dates are following.

Holy Thursday Celebration

Holy Thursday in Spain

Along with the liturgical celebrations on Holy Thursday, the Holy Week processions continue to be the most outstanding manifestations.

Processions declared of International Tourist Interest

Lord of Prayer in the Garden (Monte-Sion, Seville).

• In Ávila, the processions of La Madrugada (with the image of the Blessed Christ of the Battles that belonged to the Catholic Kings) and Los Pasos are carried out.
• In Holy Week of Cáceres at 24:00 from Wednesday to Holy Thursday, he made his Station of Penance The most solemn, venerable and pontifical brotherhood of the Holy Crucifix of Saint Mary of Jesus, better known as the Brotherhood of the Black Christ. With a parade that represents an authentic Medieval Fung Court, it runs through the walled interior of the Medieval City of Cáceres, only accompanied by an esquila that carries a Muñidor and a Tempered Tambor.
• In Cartagena (Murcia) the Pontificia, Real and Ilustre Confradía of Our Father Jesus in the Dolorous Pass of the Prendment and Hope of the Salvation of Souls (Californios) organizes the Procession of Silence, a solemn procession of mourning in total absence of music and light, only the illumination of the hachotes of penitentes (or capirotes) and the sound of the drums with sordina, along with the arrows.
• In Cuenca, of the church of San Antón and the banks of the Jucar the ancient Archcofradía de Paz y Caridad with the parade of the same name composed of several brotherhoods and steps. The Most Holy Christ of the Merciful (with a brother who will make the bell sound incessantly as it was when the image accompanied those condemned to death), Jesus praying in the Garden (from St.Anton), Jesus Bittered to the Column, Jesus with the Caña, Ecce Homo of St.Gil, Jesus Caído and Veronica, the Help of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus Nazareth
• In Ferrol two processions are celebrated on Holy Thursday: the Pontificia, Real and Ilustre Confradía de Nuestra Señora de las Angustias departs with the steps of Jesus Nazarene, Christ of the Agonía, Christ Yacente and Our Lady of the Angustias; the Venerable, Real and Very Ilustre Confraternity of the Holy Christ of the Mercy departs
• In Granada the Royal Confraternity of Penitence of the Blessed Christ of Redemption and Our Lady of Health (known as "the Salesians"); the Royal, Venerable and Illuminous Confraternity of Our Father Jesus of Forgiveness and Most Holy Mary of the Aurora; the Confraternity of Our Father Jesus of the Passion and Most Holy Mary of the Star; the Brotherhood of Holiness They combine the neighborhood costumes, very dear in the Albaicín (Estrella, Concha, Aurora) with the seriousness and prestige of Silence.
• In Hellín (Albacete), in the procession of Silence the Holy Communion, Jesus of Medinaceli or Our Lady of the Pain parade. At the gathering of the procession, the reel begins, one of the references of this Holy Week and in which the drums will no longer be silent until the next day in the afternoon, when the burial of Christ will proceed.
• In Lorca (Murcia), it is made its typical Biblical-pasional parade in which the Christ of the Coronation of the Brotherhood of Labradors (Blue Pause), the Christ of Penance (Paso Encarnado), the banner of prayer in the garden, declared as B.I.C next to its passage (Paso Blanco), the Christ of the Rescue next to a third of the Navy(Paso In addition, from the 12th of the night begins the procession of silence in the Barrio de San Cristo de la Sangre de la Cofradía Paso Encarnado.
• In Malaga they produce the brotherhoods or brotherhoods of Santa Cruz, Dinner, Vineyards, Mena, Mercy, Zamarrilla, Esperanza and Vera Cruz Each year the Royal Fusionate Brotherhoods produce the Holy Christ of the Vera Cruz, preceded by a relic of the Holy Lignum Crucis.
• In Merida, the Sisters of the Prendition of Jesus and Our Lady of Peace, the Most Holy Christ of the Vera Cruz and Mary Most Holy of Nazareth, the Most Holy Christ of the Remedies and Our Lady of the Major Pain, and the Descendment and Most Holy Mary of Hope, carry out their penitentiary season.
• In Murcia, the Real, Very illustrious, Venerable and Antiquity Archcofrady of the Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, (The Coloraos), with The Procession of Soledad and his three steps. Entry the night parades the Confraternity of the Blessed Christ of the Refugio, the so-called Procession of Silence, famous for the promise of silence of his brothers.
• At Orihuela at 11 o'clock in the evening begins the procession of the Brotherhood of Silence, which runs through the historic center of the city in silence and in the dark.
• In Salamanca, there are four brothers of penance, the Royal Penitential Brotherhood of Christ Yacente, the Seraphic Brotherhood, the Brotherhood of the Way of the Cross, and the Brotherhood of the Christ of Love and Peace.
• In Seville, the hermands of Los Negritos, La Exaltación, Las Cigarreras, Monte-Sion, Quinta Angustia, El Valle and Pasión are stationed.
• In Valladolid, eleven processions are celebrated in which the University Brotherhood of the Holy Christ of Light participates, the Brotherhood of the Most Precious Blood, the Brotherhood of Our Lady of Piousness, the Confraternity of the Holy Communion, the Confraternity of the Oration of the Garden, the Confraternity of the Holy Christ of the Departure, the Confraternity of the Holy Father

Other Spanish processions

• In Alcalá del Río, the Old, Real, Ilustre and Fervorosa Brotherhood and Cofradía de Nazarenos del Stmo. Christ of the Vera Cruz and Mary Most Holy of the Coronada Angustias. Its sacred headlines are devotional references of this Sevillian people. The Vera-Cruz has the peculiarity of a sisterhood Holy Thursday and "Madrugá"; it is 6 o'clock in the afternoon of Holy Thursday when it causes the Church of Sta. Mary of the Assumption arriving at 10 o'clock at night after a vigil re-forming the cofraternity to start at 12 o'clock in the Night, beginning "La Madrugá", and returning to her canonical headquarters the Chapel of Saint Gregoria around 4:30 a.m.
• In Almeria four Sisters depart, The Angustias (the Christ of Good Death and Our Lady of the Angustias), The Silence, The Meeting and the Rosary of the Sea.
• In Almuñécar (Grenada), some of the oldest costumes come out, such as "The Nazarene" (it is worth seeing the three falls), the Virgin of the Dolores (the most remarkable is the encounter with her son), the Brotherhood of the Christ of Good Death, Our Lady of the Amargura and St.John Evangelista, and the Brotherhood of Our Lady of Hope
• In Antequera (Malaga), the coasters of several guilds are to go up, with their respective throne a steep slope.
• In Badajoz there are three Sisters, one of whom is the patron of the city, made unusual throughout Spain, the Virgin of Soledad (Our Father Jesus of Humility and Patience, the Most Holy Christ of Humiliation Ecce-Homo and Our Lady of Solitude), being the most popular procession in the city. At the same time, the Brotherhood and Brotherhood of the Holy Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Most Holy Christ of Charity in His Judgment and the Most Holy Mary of the Aurora, Mother of the Church, are proceeding with the passage of the Judgment and Brotherhood and the Brotherhood of the Holy Cross, Most Holy Christ of Love and Our Lady of Consolation.
• In Baza, Granada, it stands out to the procession of the Blessed Christ of Mendez, whose origin is linked to a legend.
• In Cadiz on the evening-night of Holy Thursday the confraternities of Anguish, Prayer in the Huerto, Nazarene and Medinaceli. These last two are the most devotional ones that cause the city to do that reflect the long lines of penance that follow its headlines. The Nazarene of Santa Maria, also known as the Greñúo, is in turn a perpetual ruler of the city and he proceeds with the command staff (given by the mayor on the morning of Holy Thursday) as mayor of the city of Cadiz.
• In Cantillana (Sevilla): Processional departure from Ntra Sra del Consuelo and San Juan Evangelista, from the hermitage of San Bartolomé.
• In Cee (La Coruña), in the afternoon St.John the Evangelist, Our Lord Jesus the Nazarene and Our Lady of the Dolores leave.
• In Cieza (Murcia) on Holy Thursday, he invited the recollection and the reflection with his two Processions: in that evening of mantillas, that of the Sons of Mary; at twelve o'clock at night, the Procession of Silence.

Mystery of the Ecce Homo in Ciudad Real.

Pass of Calvary of San Cristobal de La Laguna (Tenerife).

• In Ciudad Real, the Sisters of Silence in the early morning and at night the processions of the Sisters of the Holy Communion, Ecce Homo, Lanzada and Dolorosa of Santiago, are held in prison.
• In Cordoba the brotherhoods of the Holy Communion, Nazarene, Caído, Caridad, Cristo de Gracia and Angustias will come out.
• In Daimiel (Real City) the Confraternity of the Holy Christ of the Column and Our Lady of the Amargura, one of the oldest in the region, of which its exact date of foundation is unknown, but it is known prior to 1575, since it is quoted in the topographic relations of Philip II, where they already had a wave of His Holiness for which they were granted.
• In Two Sisters the Brotherhood of the Vera-Cruz, the oldest brotherhood of penance in the city, and the Brotherhood of the Holy Supper, the most recent Brotherhood.
• In Elche the Prayer in the Garden, the Most Holy Blood of Christ and the Most Holy Mary of Health, the Christ of the Faith and Mary Most Holy of Hope, the Most Holy Mary of Charity, and the Most Holy Christ of Mercy (the procession of silence).
• In Jaén, the Sisters of Expiration and La Vera-Cruz are prosecuting.
• In Loja (Grenada) the Confraternity of the Blessed Christ of the Favors will come out, popularly known as The Silence, accompanied by its Black Tambor Band and its "corry" of Incensaries, a typical character of the Holy Week of Loja.
• In Martos (Jaén) they produce the fellowship of the Christ of Love, Mary Helper and Saint John Evangelist and the fellowship of the Christ of Faith and Consuelo
• In Mataró (Barcelona), the Sisters of the Prayer of the Huerto, the Coronation of Thorns, the Veronica and the Brotherhood of Our Father Jesus Nazareth and Our Lady of Hope leave. The second day when more sisterhoods are taking place in the streets of that city.
• In Monóvar (Alicante), the Confraternity of the Holy Crucified Christ will come out celebrating the solemn Procession of Silence.
• In Mahón, (Menorca) the Brotherhood of The Precious Blood makes the solemn procession of Silence.
• In Ocaña (Toledo), the procession of Penitence of the Brotherhood of Penitence of Our Father Jesus of Medinaceli takes place, in which the Beso of Judas, the Flagellation, Jesus of Medinaceli, the Fall, the Crucifixion and the Descending. Costumes carry large crosses and chains tied to their feet.
• In Ortigueira (La Coruña), at six o'clock in the afternoon the celebration of the Lord's Supper takes place, in the parish church of Santa Marta, then at nine o'clock in the evening the procession of Jesus Nazarene with Vía-Cruics with the participation of the " Virgen de los Dolores and the Nazarene of Ortigueira". Neighbors, merchants and hostelers are responsible for placing the stations through the streets through which the procession takes place. At the end, the Holy Hour will take place in the Parish Church of Santa Marta de Ortigueira.
• In Ribera del Fresno (Badajoz), in the afternoon after the solemn Eucharist the Brotherhood of Jesus Nazarene and the Blessed Virgin of the Dolores are proceeded.
• In Roquetas de Mar, the Stmo is produced. Christ Crucified in His Divine Mercy followed by Ntra. Mrs. de losn Dolores, both on different thrones, of the Brotherhood of Ntra. Mrs. de los Dolores from the Church of Ntra. Mrs. del Rosario to the same.
• In San Cristobal de la Laguna (Tenerife), they produce: From the parish of Santo Domingo de Guzmán the passage of the Lord of Humility and Patience with the Confraternity of Mercy. The passage of the Most Holy Christ of the Anointing, Our Lady of the Major Pain, Saints Varones, St John and Magdalene also takes place, accompanied by the Penitential Confraternity of the Anointing and Mortaja of Christ. Next comes the image of Our Lady of the Solitude of the Venerable Brotherhood of the Blessed Rosary, Our Lady of Solitude and Most Holy Risen Christ. Later, he took part from the Cathedral of San Cristobal de La Laguna, the Holy Communion accompanied by the Brotherhood of the Holy Church Cathedral of La Laguna and its Penitential Section and from the parish of San Lázaro, the procession of the Holy Christ of Calvary next to the Venerable Sacramental Brotherhood of Saint Lazarus and the Penitential Brotherhood of the Blessed Christ of Calvary and Mary of the Dolores.
• In Santa Cruz de Tenerife they leave: from the parish of San Francisco de Assisi the procession of the Blessed Christ of the Good Death and the Blessed Virgin of the Amargura and from the Parish Matriz de la Concepción the procession of Our Father Jesus Cautivo and María Santísima de la Esperanza Macarena.

La Virgin of the Soledad. Proceed the night of Holy Thursday in Soria.

• In Soria. Silent and austere Holy Week, devotional; faithful reflection of the soriana society that sustains it. It stands out for its intense religious feeling. It was declared a Tourist Interest of Castile and Leon. After the celebration of the Mass In Coena Domini and the installation of the monuments in the churches; it goes to the streets, in Procession Via Crucis de Penitencia, the Confraternity of the Holy Falls of Jesus. In the evening, it will be the Confraternity of the Virgin of Soledad with her Procession of Silence, which involves the streets of the city with her devotion.
• In Albalate del Arzobispo, Alcorisa, Andorra (Teruel), Hijar, La Puebla de Hijar, Samper de Calanda and Urrea de Gaen, all of them in the Province of Teruel, every year at 24 hours of Holy Thursday or 00:00 hours of Good Friday there is a concentration of drums and bombs in the major squares of the municipalities and the population is called for Romper la Hora. Commonly, the mayor of the municipality with the mayor's cane or the sound of a trumpet starts the act of Romper la Hora, an act that consists in making as much noise as possible with the aforementioned instruments of percussion and which represents the sound that was heard on the earth when Jesus of Nazareth died on the Cross.
• In Tobarra (Albacete) At 6 o'clock in the afternoon, the Gordo Pass from the Sanctuary of the Incarnation begins at the end the solemn procession of the Amargura and continues with the uninterrupted touch of drum.
• In Úbeda (Jaén) the Christ of Prayer leaves in the Garden in the morning with his sculptural group and Our Lady of Hope. Already in the afternoon the Christ of the Column and the Virgin of Charity and Humility or the Romans, with their Roman surprises that accompany the ecce homo and the Virgin of the Faith. Already at night the Christ of Good Death does, and at 11 o'clock at night he makes his penitentiary station the Christ of Sentence and his Virgin of the Penes.
• In Verges (Gerona) the streets of the village are toured by a procession, known as the processó de Verges, during the tour a theatrical representation of the Passion of Christ is performed and is recognized for being of the few public holidays where the so-called dance of death is still performed.

Holy Thursday in America

• In El Salvador, After having celebrated Mass Crismal in Cathedral, and the Conmemoration of the Last Supper of Jesus with his Disciples, it is customary to place on a walk, an image of Jesus dressed in white, tied hands and blindfolded and to be produced after culminating with the Holy Hour, around 9 o'clock in the night, until hours of the early morning of Good Friday.

• In Alanje (Chiriqui) (Panama), on Holy Thursday he is used every year to walk from anywhere to the Church of Alanje where he is asked to forgive the Christ of Alanje for all the sins in the year, he is praised, thanks for all the benefits he has given and is asked for for what is needed.

• In La Villa de Los Santos (Panama), a procession is organized during Holy Week, which begins at the conclusion of the Mass of the Institution of the Eucharist and Lavatory of the Pies, when the image of Jesus tied and bandaged to the final part of the bird is loaded to the shoulders. Second of Villarreal on Down Street where only the men are going to look for him to walk the main streets of the city in a procession of absolute silence.

• In the Chapel of Our Lady of the Dolores (Querétaro, Mexico), the Holy Week organizes the placement of the monument, which will house the Blessed Sacrament as the celebration of the Mass of the Institution of the Eucharist and Lavatory (foot) takes place in the streets of the chapel and then place it in the monument that is exposed for its worship and the visit of the seven houses.

• In Guatemala City, on Holy Thursday the processional cortex of the venerated and consecrated image of Jesus the Nazarene of Candelaria, known by the faithful as Christ the King, of the parish Our Lady of Candelaria. It is the largest procession in Guatemala and one of the most awaited processions of the Holy Week in the new Guatemala of the Assumption (Guatemala City) because it runs through most of the main streets of the historic center in areas 1, 2 and 6 of Guatemala City for an approximate time of 19 hours. More and more faithful are thousands of national and international faithful who come to see it.

Holy Thursday in Portugal

• In Mafra, the night of Holy Thursday, after Mass in Coena Domini, the Blessed Sacrament is ported in solemn procession under a silver umbela. The court cut from the altar of the Royal Basilica of Mafra to a monumental throne placed in one of the chapels of the cruise of the same Royal Basilica. After the Eucharistic procession, the worship of the Blessed Sacrament is performed. The ceremonies of Holy Thursday in Mafra are one of the most remarkable celebrations of the Lenten period.

Jehovah's Witnesses

Jehovah's Witnesses Remember the "Lord's Supper" or the "Last Supper" the day that corresponds to Nisan 14 in the Jewish calendar, the date Jesus did it. This commemoration is known as the Memorial of the Death of Christ.