The Church Year
What Is Maundy Thursday?
Maundy Thursday is the Thursday of Holy Week, when Christians remember the Last Supper Jesus shared with his disciples on the night before he died. Its name comes from the Latin mandatum, ‘commandment,’ for Jesus’ new command to love one another. Services recall the first communion and often include the washing of feet. It is also called Holy Thursday and, among the Orthodox, Great Thursday.
What Maundy Thursday remembers
On the night before his crucifixion, Jesus gathered his disciples for a final meal. There he broke bread and shared the cup, giving the church the sacrament of communion; there he knelt and washed his disciples’ feet; and there he gave them a new commandment, to love one another as he had loved them. ‘Maundy’ comes from the Latin mandatum, meaning commandment. Services on this evening often include communion and, in many churches, a foot-washing that echoes what Jesus did. In some traditions the service ends by stripping the altar bare, leading into the darkness of Good Friday.
The night of the Last Supper
Maundy Thursday shows the heart of Jesus on his last night: not grasping for power, but kneeling to serve, and leaving his followers a meal and a command that still shape the church.
Find a service near you
A Maundy Thursday service is a quiet, moving place to begin Holy Week. You do not need to know anyone, dress a certain way, or have it all figured out. Use the live church finder to search real, welcoming churches near you, then reach out to one and ask about their service times. Whether you have been every week for fifty years or have never been at all, you are wanted exactly as you are.
Find a church near youWhat to expect if you goFrequently asked questions
- What does Maundy mean?
- It comes from the Latin mandatum, meaning commandment, from Jesus' words at the Last Supper: 'A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another' (John 13:34). The day takes its name from that new command.
- What happens at a Maundy Thursday service?
- Churches remember the Last Supper, usually celebrating communion, and many include a washing of feet in imitation of Jesus. Some services end by stripping the altar bare in preparation for Good Friday.
- Is Maundy Thursday the same as Holy Thursday?
- Yes. Maundy Thursday, Holy Thursday, and, among the Orthodox, Great Thursday all name the same day: the Thursday of Holy Week that remembers the Last Supper.
Come and see
Behind every one of these days is a Person, not a performance. The living Christ is not an argument to be won but someone to be met, and he still draws near to everyone who comes to him with an open heart. You do not have to believe everything first. You are welcome to come with your questions, your grief, and your doubts, and simply see. The Gospel of John is a gentle place to begin, and it costs you nothing but a little quiet and an honest look.
Read the Gospel of JohnCome and SeeAsk for prayerJesus Christ is Lord.
