From today the commemoration of the passion, death and resurrection of Christ begins. Initially, Easter was celebrated on the night of Holy Saturday and ended on the morning of Easter Sunday. However, starting in the 4th century, the commemoration begins on Holy Thursday, the day on which the Easter Triduum begins, and ends with the Vigil.
According to Vatican News, the story behind the celebration of Holy Thursday lies in the Last Supper. During the banquet, Jesus founded the Eucharist, the sacrament of salvation, and the ministerial priesthood. In addition to offering them this speech, which his disciples would later be responsible for shouting, Jesus performs another symbolic act of Catholicism: he washes the feet of the 12 apostles.
The washing of the feet of his disciples meant “a gesture that reveals service and love,” the media mentions. From the above, the following message of Holy Thursday emerges: in addition to praying and attending masses, the importance of the beginning of Easter also consists of service and mutual love with others.
Everything that is commemorated around the events of Holy Week this Thursday comes from the last supper. Below is a prayer to join the celebration of Holy Thursday:
Prayer
Lord Jesus
that you anticipated your disciples
your supreme act of love.
You summoned them, thus instituting the priesthood.
You took the bread, the wine,
you blessed them and gave them to them.
You got up and took off your cloak,
you took a container,
and you washed their feet.
Summon up.
Share.
Serve.
Three moves, Lord,
to teach me the logic of the Eucharist,
to teach me the logic of life.
Three moves, Lord,
intertwined with each other;
one reveals the other:
There is Eucharist where there is fraternity;
there is brotherhood when it is shared;
it is shared where there is service;
There is service where together we celebrate the Eucharist.
From the chair of the Eucharist,
You teach me, Lord,
the art of relationships,
the style of sharing,
the freedom of service.
Today, you invite me to your table:
My heart, Lord, tells me that I am not worthy;
but you, Lamb of God, who took away the sin of the world,
say a single word and it will be enough to heal me.
(AV Prayer in Vatican News).