Maundy Thursday marks the beginning of the "holy three days" of Easter, the most important period of the church year. Christians remember the Last Supper on Thursday evening.
Cardinal Péter Erdő, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, will present a Mass in memory of the Last Supper in the Esztergom Basilica at 6 p.m. Due to the coronavirus epidemic, the faithful cannot participate in the ceremony, but it will be broadcast live on the Facebook page of the archdiocese, Esztergom city television and Magyar Katolikus Rádió.
According to a statement sent to MTI by the Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference, on Maundy Thursday morning in the cathedrals of the Catholic Church, at the so-called chrism consecration mass, the bishops consecrate the oil, which is used for baptisms, confirmations, priest and church consecrations, and the administration of sacraments to the sick.
The bishop traditionally says Mass together with the priests serving in his diocese, who renew the promises they made at the time of consecration. This year, in several cathedrals, the consecration mass is closed, and the clergy participate in the ceremony through mediation.
In the evening liturgy, they recall the last supper, the betrayal and acceptance of Jesus. The Last Supper is the celebration of the first Mass and the establishment of the Sacrament of the Altar. It was at this dinner that Jesus' command to "love one another as I have loved you" was given, they said, adding that this teaching is especially timely in today's world.
Part of the ceremony is the washing of the feet, which commemorates the act of Christ, who washed the disciples' feet at the Last Supper, "taking on the humblest job". "This act is an example for all time, how to serve one another with a humble heart," they wrote, adding that this year the foot washing ceremony will not be held in most places.
At the beginning of the evening Mass, the symbols evoke the joy of the Last Supper. The color of the liturgy is white, the priest wears white vestments, the organ plays as the sound of joy at the beginning of the mass, and flowers decorate the altar. After the opening lines of the Gloria, the bells and bells of the churches fall silent and only ring again during the Easter resurrection ceremony on Holy Saturday evening. According to folk tradition, the bells "go to Rome" at this time.
The stripping of the altar at the end of the Holy Mass symbolizes the taking and carrying away of Jesus. The tablecloth and decorations are removed from the altar, and the sacrament is taken by the priest to a side altar.
"The silence at the end of the ceremony indicates the pain felt with the suffering of Jesus," they added.
MTI
