Maundy Thursday in San Diego

Maundy Thursday is the Christian holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter and is preceded by Holy Wednesday and followed by Good Friday.  It is also known as Holy Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Great & Holy Thursday, and Thursday of Mysteries.  Maundy Thursday serves to commemorate the day on which Jesus celebrated the Passover with his disciples, known as the Last Supper.

The term “Maundy” derives from the Latin word for “commandment.”  Christians adopted this term to refer to a new commandment to serve others as Jesus Christ would.

Maundy Thursday commemorates specifically the institution of the Eucharist, a Christian sacrament that involves consecrating bread and wine.  Another event that took place on this Holy Thursday and is still celebrated today is Jesus washing his disciples’ feet.

Some Christian churches observe the holy day by having a foot-washing ceremony or the priests wash parishioners’ feet in order to follow Jesus’ example.  During the time of Jesus, technology was absent and people would walk along dusty roads for several miles.  When they finally reached their destinations, the host showed good hospitality by washing the traveler’s feet, an exercise that also depicts humility.

Some churches observe a special Communion service on Maundy Thursday in memory of Jesus’ Last Supper.  Many Holy Thursday services, particularly in the Catholic churches, are held in the evenings and offer Communion (or Eucharist) to the congregation.  Hymns such as the Pange Lingua, Gloria or Ubi Caritas are usually sung, donations collected for the poor and pot lucks are held after service serving traditional roasted lamb, bitter herbs and wine. 

A few San Diego Maundy Thursday Events happening today:

City Lights (Bringing the Arts to the Streets) presents CrossWalk on April 21st, at 7:30pm, in Downtown San Diego.  Starting from the Horton Plaza Parking Structure, along F St, there will be a reenactment of “Jesus” who will be carrying a cross wearing a loin cloth and a crown of thorns and fake blood.  There will be planted actors along the way displaying their sentiments.

The Christian Fellowship Congregational Church will be hosting a Maundy Thursday Play: “The Room Upstairs” on April 21st, at 7:00pm.  In this drama the audience is not only observing, but also participating in the Last Supper with Christ.  In this play they will re-create the Upper Room where Jesus asks his disciples to join him in celebrating the Passover meal which will be structured around an actual Jewish Passover Seder with the appropriate foods.