Holy Thursday: Marking the Beginning of the Easter Triduum

On Holy Thursday, we celebrate Jesus’ gift of the Eucharist. It is the night when we renew our mandate to serve one another in the washing of the feet, which first took place at the Last Supper. Jesus instituted the Eucharist on Holy Thursday “the night on which he was betrayed” (1 Corinthians 11:23), as he celebrated the Last Supper with his apostles in the Upper Room – and established the Catholic priesthood.

Holy Thursday signals the start to the Easter Triduum, the three-day period when we remember Christ’s passion, death and resurrection.

At St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica, His Eminence Frank Cardinal Leo presided at the 5:30 p.m. Mass. As part of the Holy Thursday Mass, Cardinal Leo washed the feet of 12 seminarians currently in formation for the priesthood. This is done as a sign of humility, unity and love, following the example of Jesus who washed the feet of his disciples.

This special day is also called Maundy Thursday as it was on this day that Christ shared with us a new commandment – a new mandate (mandatum, in Latin) – to love one another as he loves us.

To read Cardinal Leo’s Holy Thursday message to priests, please click here.