Christians mark Maundy Thursday in twin districts in solemnity

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, April 3, 2015 :  All over the world Maundy Thursday April 2, was marked with special  ’Washing of the feet’ mass. In Mangalore and Udupi areas the  holy week services were fervantly observed. The mass of the ’last supper’ was held in the 115 parishes with about 2.7 lakh Roman catholics of Mnagalore diocese and 50 parishes and just over a lakh Roman catholics of Udupi diocese in traditional solemnity.

In Rosario Cathedral Mangaluru, Bishop Dr Aloysius D’Souza stated  that St Thomas Aquinas, a  doctor of the church proclaimed the importance of Eucharist in his writings and hymns. We celebrate the day of the Eucharist and also the day of the priests who are chosen to say the holy mass and lead the Christians. Let us pray.  The Bishop representing Jesus washed the feet of twelve parishioners who symbolically became the disciples of Jesus. The gesture is an act of utmost humility which Jesus practiced throughout his life. Similar  ceremony was held in every parish headed by the parish priest or representatives.

In the coastal district of Udupi the Bishop of the diocese Dr.Gerald Isaac Lobo commemorated the institution of Holy Eucharist by Jesus Christ with church services in the evening at the Milagres Cathedral Kallianpur. It was at the Last Supper while celebrating the Passover festival with his disciples that Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist. It was also at the Last Supper that Jesus washed and kissed the feet of his disciples as an act of humility. Catholic churches also commemorated this act with the chief celebrant of the Maundy Thursday mass by washing the feet of 12 laypersons.

Maundy  Thursday Significance :   The Latin,"Mandatum novum dovobis"-’A new commandment I give to unto you’, is once again promuglated immediately after reading of the  Gospel from the Scriptures. The word ’MAUNDY’ is derived from this latin ’Mandatum’.

The ’Mandatum’ is in the form of ’Washing of the feet’ of twelve men representing the appostles of Christ. The main celebrant at the mass of the last supper, girds himself with a towel and washes the feet of the twelve men with water.
 Maundy Thursday’s ’Mandatum’ (Latin), the ’new mandate of Christ washing the feet of His apostles’ to signify the chief tenet of Christianity,service to neighbour, came into being during the reign of Pope John.xiii (965-972).   
 
  This apart the main observance and significance if this important day of the liturgical year is (1). Institution of the Eucharist. (2).Establishing of the Priesthood and Ordination of the appostles. 

 Today April 3,  Christians all over the world observe GOOD FRIDAY, the passion and death of Jesus Christ.