Maundy

Maundy is a term most commonly associated with Maundy Thursday, the Thursday of Holy Week in the Christian liturgical calendar. The word maundy derives from the Old French maundé or mandé, from the Latin mandātum meaning commandment, reflecting the day’s connection to Jesus’ commandment to love one another. The day commemorates the Last Supper, the institution of the Eucharist, and Jesus’ act of washing the disciples’ feet as an example of service and humility.

In many Christian traditions, Maundy Thursday features specific rites and ceremonies. Observances often center on Holy Communion and, in some churches, the symbolic washing of feet. The altar may be stripped in preparation for the solemn mood of the Easter Triduum. Practices vary widely among denominations; some communities hold processions, vigils, or other forms of communal worship to mark the transition from the Lenten season to Holy Week.

Maundy money is a notable associated tradition in the United Kingdom and parts of the Commonwealth. On Maundy Thursday, the monarch presides over a service at Westminster Abbey and distributes alms to selected elderly recipients, in a ceremonial act intended to symbolize humility and service to the poor. The custom has deep historical roots in the Christian emphasis on charity and care for the needy during Holy Week.

The term Maundy is used primarily in reference to Maundy Thursday, but the idea of the mandatum, or commandment, underpins the day’s theological emphasis on love, service, and communal fellowship.