The Ceremonies of Maundy Thursday of Holy Week

Special Devotions

Ceremonies of Holy Week

Maundy Thursday - Complete Liturgy

Maundy Thursday marks the beginning of the Easter Triduum and is one of the most important commemorations of the liturgical year. In preparation for His Passion, Christ shares the Last Supper with His disciples. It is on this day that Our Lord instituted both the Eucharist and the priesthood "whereby He would renew, even to the end of time, the great Mystery He thus commands us to receive." (1)

After Our Lord finishes the Last Supper with His Apostles, the traitor Judas goes forth to trade his Master for thirty pieces of silver. Our Lord retires to the Garden of Gethsemane with His Apostles, praying in Agony and marking the beginning of His Passion. The Son of Man is taken captive and shall be delivered up as the expiatory victim, the Paschal Lamb, for the sins of mankind.

*
The following guide for Maundy Thursday is the complete liturgy for Holy Week prior to the progressivist reforms of the '50s and '60s. Sources used and cross-checked were the The Liturgical Year by Dom Prosper Guéranger, the 1934 Liber Usualis (book of chants), the 1927 Officium Majoris Hebdomadae Sanctae (Office of Holy Week), and the 1945 St. Andrew Missal. For the common liturgy for laypeople, click here.

Hyperlinks are shown in blue to provide the music that ideally accompanies the ceremonies.

Dom Gueranger, The Liturgical Year, Vol. 6, p. 371. Loreto Publications.

Office of Tenebrae (Matins and Lauds)

Matins

The Pater Noster, Ave, and Credo are said in secret, then the first Nocturn begins.

First Nocturn

An Antiphon is sung before and after each of the Psalms. After each Psalm one of the fifteen candles is extinguished. The Psalms for Maundy Thursday are said in the following order:

Antiphon: Zelus domus...
1^st Psalm: Psalm 68
Ant. Zelus domus...

Ant. Avertantur retrorsum...
2^nd Psalm: Psalm 69
Ant. Avertantur retrorsum...

Ant. Deus meus, eripe...
3^rd Psalm: Psalm 70
Ant. Deus meus, eripe...

. Avertantur retrorsum, et erubescant.

. Qui cogitant mihi mals.

Here the Pater Noster is said in secret. The following Lessons are taken from the Lamentations of Jeremiah and derive their names from the letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

First Lesson
Aleph.
Beth.
Ghimel.
Daleth.
He.

. In Monte Oliveti...

. Vigilate, et orate...
• Spiritus quidem...

Second Lesson
Vau.
Zain.
Heth.
Teth.

. Tristis est anima...
• Vos fugam...

. Ecce appropinquat...
• Vos fugam...

Third Lesson
Jod.
Caph.
Lamed.
Mem.
Nun

. Ecce vidimus eum...
• Cujus livore...

. Vere languores...
• Cujus livore...

. Ecce vidimus eum...

Second Nocturn

Ant. Liberavit Dominus...
4^th Psalm: Psalm 71
Ant. Liberavit Dominus...

Ant. Cogitaverunt impii...
5^th Psalm: Psalm 72
Ant. Cogitaverunt impii...

Ant. Exsurge, Domine...
6^th Psalm: Psalm 73
Ant. Exsurge, Domine...

. Deus meus...

. Et de manu...

Fourth Lesson

. Amicus Meus

. Bonum erat ei...
• Infelix praetermisit...

Fifth Lesson

. Judas Mercator Pessimus

.Melius illi erat...
• Denariorum numero...

Sixth Lesson

.Unus ex Discipulis

. Qui intingit mecum
• Melius illi erat...

.Unus ex Discipulis

Third Nocturn

Ant. Dixi iniquis...
7^th Psalm: Psalm 74
Ant. Dixi iniquis...

Ant.Terra tremuit...
8^th Psalm: Psalm 75
Ant.Terra tremuit...

Ant. In die tribulationis...
9^th Psalm: Psalm 76
Ant. In die tribulationis...

. Exsurge, Domine.

. Et judica causam meam.

The Pater Noster is said in secret.

Seventh Lesson
De Epistola prima Beati Pauli Apostoli ad Corinthios...

. Eram Quasi Agnus

. Omnes inimici mei...

Eighth Lesson
Ego enim accepi...

. Una Hora Non Potuistis Vigilare Mecum

. Quid dormitis? Surgite...

Ninth Lesson
Itaque quicumque...

. Seniores Populi

. Colligerunt pontifices...

. Seniores Populi

Lauds

Ant. Justificeris, Domine...
1^st Psalm: Psalm 50: Miserere Mei Deus
Ant. Justificeris, Domine...

Ant. Dominus tamquam...
2^nd Psalm: Paslm 89
Ant. Dominus tamquam...

Ant. Contritum est cor meum ...
3^rd Psalm: Psalm 85
Ant. Contritum est cor meum ...

Ant. Exhortatus es...
Canticle of Moses (Exod. XV.)
Ant. Exhortatus es...

Ant. Oblatus est quia...
Psalm 146
Ant. Oblatus est quia...

. Homo pacis meae...

. Qui edebat panes...

Ant. Traditor autem...
Canticle of Zachary

At this point the six altar candles are extinguished, leaving only a single lit candle

Ant. Traditor autem...

. Christus factus est...

The Pater Noster is said in secret. The choir sings Miserere in a suppressed voice while the first in dignity says the following prayer:

Respice, quaesumus, Domine...

Then in secret: Qui tecum vivit et...

The Choir recites the Antiphon and the remaining lit candle is hidden behind the altar.

At this point a harsh noise is made using a wooden implement called a matraca until the lit candle is brought back from behind the altar, showing by its light that the office of Tenebrae is over.

Traditionally the reconciliation of penitents was done at this time, followed by the blessing of the holy oils, but these ceremonies are no longer widely observed.

The Mass of Maundy Thursday uses white vestments, and two hosts are consecrated. One consecrated Host is used for the Priest, while the other is saved for Good Friday. Good Friday permits no consecration, so the Host must be preserved from the day before.

The Mass of Maundy Thursday

Introit:
Nos autem gloriari...

Collect:
Deus, a quo et Judas...

Epistle:
Lectio Epistolae beati Pauli Apostoli ad Corinthios...
(I. Chap. xi.)

Gradual:
Christus factus est...

. Propter quod et Deus...

Gospel:
Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Joannem
(Ch. xiii)

Offertory:
Dextera Domini fecit...

Secret:
Ipse tibi, quesumus...

Communion:
Dominus Jesus postquam...

Postcommunion:
Refecti vitalibus alimentis...

As soon as the Mass is over, a procession takes place to bring the remaining consecrated Host to its resting place. There, the body of Our Lord will await Good Friday and be open to adoration by the faithful. During the procession the choir sings the well known hymn written by St. Thomas Aquinas: Pange Lingua Gloriosi.

Upon reaching his destination, the priest places the chalice upon the altar and censes the Sacred Host. After short prayers in silence, the choirs returns to the choir loft and Vespers are begun.

Vespers

The Pater Noster and Ave are said in secret.

Ant. Calicem salutaris...
1^st Psalm: Psalm 115
Ant. Calicem salutaris...

Ant. Cum his qui...
2^nd Psalm: Psalm 119
Ant. Cum his qui...

Ant. Ab hominibus...
3^rd Psalm: Psalm 139
Ant. Ab hominibus...

Ant. Custodi me a...
4^th Psalm: Psalm
Ant. Custodi me a...

Ant. Considerabam ad dexteram...
5^th Psalm: Psalm 141
Ant. Considerabam ad dexteram...

Ant. Coenantibus autem...
Magnificat
Ant. Coenantibus autem...

. Christus factus est...

The Pater Noster is said in secret and the Miserere is recited in a suppressed voice, followed by a prayer. This marks the end of Vespers.

The Stripping of the Altars

As soon as Vespers are over, the altar is stripped of its cloths and ornaments and left barren to denote the suspension of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The altar is left in this state until Our Lord is risen again.

Ant. Diviserunt sibi...
Psalm 21
Ant. Diviserunt sibi...

The Washing of the Feet

The Washing of the Feet, known also as the Mandatum, is traditionally done at this time by 1) the Pope, who would wash the feet of thirteen priests in imitation of Our Lord washing the feet of the Apostles, and 2) by Bishops and Prelates in churches of importance, who follow the example of the Pope by choosing twelve poor (for cathedral churches, the tradition is thirteen poor).

Washing the feet of the poor is an act of humility and charity that was once widespread in Christendom, but has since fallen into disuse and was relegated to the liturgy.

The celebrant takes off his cope, girds himself with a towel, and washes the feet of those chosen for this ceremony. He kisses the right foot of each while the choir sings the following antiphons.

Ant. Mandatum novum...
Ant. Postquam serrexit..
Ant. Dominus Jesus...
Ant. Domine, tu mihi...
Ant. Si ego Dominus...
Ant. In hoc cognoscent...
Ant. Maneant in vobis...
Ant. Benedicta sit...

Canticle
Ubi caritas, et amor...

. Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor.

. Exsultemus, et in ipsoe...

. Timeamus et amemus...

. Et ex corde...
Ubi caritas, et amor...

. Simul ergo cum...

. Ne nose mente...

. Cessent jurgia maligna...

. Et in medio nostri...
Ubi caritas, et amor...

. Simul quoque cum...

. Glorianter, vultum tuum...

. Gaudium, quod et...

. Saecula per infinita...

The celebrant resumes his cope and concludes the ceremony with the Lord's Prayer.

Pater Noster...
(The rest of the prayer is said in silence until...)

. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem.

. Sed libera nos a malo.

. Tu mandasti...

. Custodiri nimis.

. Tu lavasti pedes...

. Opera manuum tuarum...

. Domine, exaudi...

. Et clamor meus...

. Dominus vobiscum.

. Et cum spiritu tuo.

Oremus.

Adesto, Domino quaesumus...

End of Maundy Thursday

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