Maundy Thursday is the day when Christians remember the Last Supper, the final meal Jesus shared with his disciples before his death. At this meal, Jesus gave his followers bread and wine and told them to share them in remembrance of him. This is the origin of Holy Communion, also known as the Eucharist, which remains central to Christian worship.
Maundy Thursday is part of Holy Week, the week leading up to Easter. It marks the beginning of the final events of Jesus’ life: his arrest, suffering and death on the cross.
According to the Gospels, Jesus shared a meal with his disciples on the night before his arrest. He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to them, saying that it was his body, given for them. He also shared a cup of wine with them.
Christians remember these words and actions whenever they celebrate Holy Communion. In the Lutheran tradition, Communion is a gift of God’s grace, in which Christ comes to meet people through bread and wine.
The name Maundy Thursday comes from the Latin word mandatum, meaning “commandment”. It refers to Jesus’ command to his disciples to love one another. The Gospel of John also tells how Jesus washed his disciples’ feet at the Last Supper, giving them an example of humble service.
In the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, Maundy Thursday is an important day for celebrating Holy Communion. Many parishes hold services that recall the Last Supper and invite people to receive Communion.
The service may end on a solemn note. In some churches, the altar is stripped of its cloths and decorations, symbolising the approaching suffering and death of Jesus. The atmosphere changes from the fellowship of the Last Supper to the darkness of Good Friday.
Maundy Thursday invites Christians to reflect on love, service, forgiveness and the meaning of Jesus’ sacrifice. It also begins the journey through the events at the heart of the Christian faith, leading from the cross to the joy of Easter.