Most Catholics know that Holy Thursday is the beginning of the Paschal Triduum and one of the most important days of the liturgical year. It commemorates many important events in the life of Christ, including the Last Supper, the institution of the Eucharist, the Agony in the Garden, and the betrayal of Christ by Judas. Because of its great importance, it makes sense that the day has developed a number of beautiful liturgical traditions, many of which are not well known by Catholics today.
The ritual familiar to most Catholics is the washing of the feet. Inspired by Jesus’ actions in the Gospel of John, the priest takes off his chasuble during the Mass and literally washes the feet of 12 parishioners. This beautiful ritual symbolically shows that the priest must always serve his flock, rather than be served by them. By humbling himself and kneeling before laymen to wash their feet, the priest reminds himself and the congregation that his role is one of lowly service.
The rest of the Holy Thursday Mass, known as the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, also has many unique facets. In order to re-create the Jewish Passover Seder at which Jesus and His apostles ate, the Mass is always celebrated in the evening. In addition, because it celebrates the joyful institution of the Eucharist, the Mass exhibits festive characteristics in the midst of the usually somber Holy Week. The Gloria is sung (the only time it is heard during Lent, along with the Solemnity of St. Joseph on March 19) and the priest wears white vestments, instead of the usual Lenten purple. The church bells and the organ are traditionally sounded during the Gloria, but afterwards they are silenced and all music is performed a cappella until the Easter Vigil ceremony.
After the Last Supper, Jesus bade His disciples goodbye and travelled to Gethsemane to begin His Passion. This sudden turn from the joyful gathering of disciples at the Last Supper to Christ’s sorrowful agony is reflected in the ceremony of the Mass. Following the ceremony, the altar and all other ornaments in the church are stripped bare and the church is left in complete silence. Since the statues and other church art have already been covered for Passiontide, no visual beauty is left after the Holy Thursday service. Thus, the church takes on a somber setting that allows the faithful to adopt a somber frame of mind as they pray through the Triduum.
Since the altar and even the tabernacle are left empty after the Mass, the priest at the end of the service carries the Eucharist to the “altar of repose,” which is typically the Marian altar or another side altar in the church. Since Holy Thursday is especially dedicated to the Eucharist, many pious Catholics spend time in Adoration at the side altar after Mass, and most churches will stay open for Adoration at least until midnight (if not until the next morning). The Gospels recount that on the first Holy Thursday, Jesus invited Sts. Peter, James, and John to pray with Him before His betrayal. The saints, however, could not even stay awake for an hour with Jesus without falling asleep. For this reason, many Catholics seek to spend an entire hour in adoration on Holy Thursday, praying alongside Christ at His Passion.
This devotion to Adoration has led to another beautiful practice known as the “seven churches devotion.” This practice was started in Rome, when the faithful would visit the seven papal basilicas and pray before the altars of repose at each one. Today this devotion can be celebrated in any city in the world, and a plenary indulgence is attached. Those seeking the indulgence can simply visit the Eucharist at any seven churches after the Holy Thursday Mass. At each church one must recite at least an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be, but many Catholics add in additional devotions as well.
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