There is another day in Holy Week that has old and interesting
ceremonies connected with it. This is Maundy Thursday, which always
falls, of course, on the day before Good Friday. It is the day which is
set apart to commemorate the humility and tender loving-kindness of
Jesus during that week of his suffering and death. You remember that,
after the Master with his disciples, had partaken of supper in that
upper room in Jerusalem, He rose up and laid aside his garments. Then He
took a towel and girded himself. After that He poured water into a
basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the
towel wherewith He was girded. In this beautiful act of humility you
have the origin of Maundy Thursday; and its odd name is derived from the
circumstance that, in the Ancient Church, the anthem _Maudatum novum_
was sung at the ceremony.
For the Early Church consecrated this day to acts of lowliness in
imitation of Christ. The washing in public of the feet of the poor
became the outward sign of humility in the whole church. In later times
this washing was accompanied by gifts, and the ceremony was performed by
Kings and Queens. Thus we find, here in England, that Queen Elizabeth
performed the ceremony at her palace of Greenwich. The age of Her
Majesty being thirty-nine, there were thirty-nine poor people chosen to
assemble in her presence on Maundy Thursday. Then the yeomen of the
laundry, the sub-almoner, and finally the Queen herself, washed each
foot of the poor people in water mixed with sweet herbs, marked the sign
of the cross above the toes, and then kissed it. Afterwards various
gifts were distributed to these poor people in clothes, food, and money.
Since James II. no English monarch has performed this ceremony, but in
Spain and Austria the yearly foot-washing upon Holy Thursday is still
performed by the Head of the State.
In England the giving of gifts on Maundy Thursday has taken the place of
foot-washing. During the reign of George II. the old men and women who
gathered in the Banqueting House, at Whitehall, received half-quartern
loaves, boiled beef and mutton, herrings red and white, with small
bowls of ale. They were also given shoes and stockings, cloth to make
dresses, and a leathern bag filled with money. The money was in
silver-pieces, of the value of a penny and upwards; and these coins
being made at the Mint for this special purpose were called Maundy
Money. During the Reign of Queen Victoria the giving of meat and clothes
was discontinued, but the poor people still received their dole or
maund.
It is to be hoped that King Edward VII. will continue this practice
for--unlike some of the old customs--it is well worthy of being
continued. Most people are inclined to be proud, and when people are
proud they are usually greedy and selfish. Therefore, it is a good thing
to have at least one day in the year set apart to help us to remember
that true greatness, the greatness which Jesus Christ expects from his
disciples, is only to be attained by lowliness and unselfishness.