Holy Week/Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday.
(Copyright 1891, by the Cathedral Library Association.)
Thursday of Holy Week is called Maundy Thursday from the "mandatum" or precept, the first word of the antiphon, "A new commandment I give you," which is sung while the feet of certain poor men are washed, as directed in the office of the day. It is the first day of the Azymes, or Feast of the Unleavened Bread, when with the Jews of old, the pasch should be eaten at sunset. It commemorates the institution of the Blessed Sacrament at the Last Supper or pasch eaten by Jesus with his Apostles. There are four distinct parts in the ceremonies of to-day. The first is the reconciliation of penitence, which is no longer in use, although a vestige of it remains in the ancient custom scrupulously observed at Rome, when on the afternoons of Wednesday and Thursday, the Cardinal-Pœnitentiary proceeds in state to the Basilica of Sancta Maria Maggiore and St. Peter, and seated on a tribunal reserved for that purpose, receives the confession or other application of such as may wish to advise with him and obtain spiritual relief in matters reserved to his jurisdiction. [Cardinal Wiseman. Lecture 3d, p. 118]
Three solemn masses were formerly celebrated on this day, and before the first the public absolution of the public penitents was held. [An interesting description of the ritual followed in the reconciliation of penitents will be found in Guéranger, p. 352, Holy Week.]
Second, The Mass.
As the Church commemorates on this day the institution of the Eucharist, she allows some joy and gratitude to mingle with her heavy grief. Naturally the mass is the part in which this joy predominates. Though her pictures and images and crucifixes are still veiled, yet the Cross is covered with white, the Altar is decorated, and the candles are of white wax. In Cathedral Churches, the Bishop always pontificates on Holy Thursday, and during the mass blesses the Holy Oils, a function which we will describe later. The mass proceeds as usual, even the psalm "Judica" being re-admitted for this day. The Gloria in Excelsis is once more sung, and while the hymn is being said at the Altar all the bells in the Church are rung, and a magnificent voluntary is performed on the organs, after which both bell and organ are silent until the same glorious hymn is re-intoned on Holy Saturday. On this day the kiss of peace is not given after the Agnus Dei, because it was by a kiss that Judas betrayed his Lord. At the mass the bishop consecrates two sacred hosts, one to be consumed as usual, and the other to be reserved at another Altar with the greatest reverence, until brought back the next day, Good Friday, to be consumed at the office of that day.
The feature of the mass is the procession of the Blessed Sacrament when the host that has been consecrated for the mass of the pre-sanctified is carried in solemn state. The celebrant, surrounded by his ministers, preceded by the cross-bearer and acolytes, and two thurifers swinging their thuribles, and all the clergy and choristers proceed down the broad aisle and around the Cathedral to an Altar in one of the chapels, which has been magnificently decorated with flowers and rich hangings. During the procession the choir sings the well-known hymn of the Blessed Sacrament, "Pange Lingua." When the chapel is reached the bishop places the chalice containing the host upon the Altar and incenses the sacred host. The deacon then replaces it in the tabernacle prepared, and after a short prayer in silence, the procession returns to the sanctuary, and Vespers are immediately begun. This office, which on Sundays and Feast days, is recited with so much solemnity is on Thursday and Friday deprived of everything that betokens joy. Instead of the magnificent Gregorian chant, the psalms have not even inflection. The Church, as a disconsolate spouse, mourns the loss of Jesus. The psalms of the Vespers are chosen to commemorate the Passion of Our Lord. After the Vespers, the bishop accompanied by his ministers goes to the Altar and removes all cloths and ornaments, signifying the suspension of the Holy Sacrifice. In Rome, the canons and other functionaries of St. Peter's, after the office of Tenebrae wash the High Altar with wine and water in commemoration of that act of humility by which Our Redeemer washed His disciples' feet. The 21st Psalm with its antiphon "They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture they cast lots," gives the key to the meaning of this ceremony of stripping the Altars, because Jesus is in the hands of His enemies, the Jews, who are about to strip Him of His garments. All the other Altars of the Church are likewise denuded, and an air of desolation is about the Temple of God. The tabernacle is left open to show that its Divine Guest has departed. In many Catholic countries and especially at Rome, the custom of washing the feet of twelve poor men is yet observed in commemoration of the humility of Our Lord in washing the feet of His disciples. In the life of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, we have a beautiful record of her manner of observing this day. [See Montalembert's Life, p. 67.]
It is the custom among Catholics to visit the churches in their vicinity where the Blessed is reposing. This visitation is highly meritorious, but should be practised with great devotion and recollection.
Blessing of the Holy Oils.
The second mass which used formerly to be said on Maundy Thursday was that of the blessing of the holy oils. This ceremony, of course, can be witnessed only in cathedral churches, because it is only a bishop that can consecrate the holy oils used in the administration of the sacraments. The reason of the selection of Maundy Thursday as the day for the blessing of the holy oils, was, that these would be much needed for the baptism of the catechumens on Easter eve. There are three holy oils. The first is called "The Oil of the Sick," which is the matter of the sacrament of Extreme Unction. Formerly it used to be blessed on any day of the year, or as often as required, but later on the blessing of the three oils was united in one. The noblest of the three oils is the Sacred Chrism, and its consecration is more important and fuller of mystery than those of the other two; for it is by the Chrism that the Holy Ghost imprints his indelible seal on the Christian, strengthens him, and gives a visible sign of his membership with Christ, whose name signifies "unction." The child just baptized receives the unction of this oil, in order to show that he partakes of the kingly character of the great King. Balm is mixed with the Chrism to represent The Good Odor of Christ. [I Corinthians, ii. 15.]
In the Eastern Church thirty-three different kinds of precious perfumes are put into the oil, and it thus becomes an ointment of exquisite fragrance. [Guéranger.]
The Sacred Chrism is used by the Church in the consecration of bishops, the blessing of bells, dedication of a church, the consecration of chalice and altars. In the dedication of a church the bishop pours out the Chrism on twelve crosses, which are to attest to succeeding ages the glory of God's house.
The third of the holy oils is the Oil of Catechumens, which is of apostolic institution, and is used in the ceremonies of Baptism, for the anointing of the breast and shoulders. It is also used for anointing a priest's hands in ordination, and for the coronation of a king or queen. These oils being therefore so important, are consecrated with the greatest solemnity. On no occasion does the Church use so much pomp and splendor as in this blessing. Twelve priests assist as witnesses and co-operators of the Holy Chrism Seven deacons and seven sub-deacons assist to carry the oils and to guard them. In the Cathedral of New York a special set of magnificent vestments is used on this day. The vestments are of the richest silk, beautifully and artistically embroidered by hand, each chasuble and dalmatic and tunic bearing a different device, skillfully wrought, the designs being in complete harmony, from the mitre of the archbishop through all the pieces of the pontifical vestments down to the maniple of the last sub-deacon. This magnificent set of vestments is the gift to the Cathedral of Archbishop Corrigan.
The mass proceeds as far as the prayer of the canon immediately preceding the Pater noster. The Bishop then leaves the altar and goes to the Epistle side of the sanctuary, where a table has been splendidly fitted up for the blessing. A procession of acolytes, crossbearer and thurifer, with the twelve priests, the seven deacons and the seven sub-deacons, go to the sacristy where the ampulla are prepared. The sub-deacon takes the one containing the Oil of the Sick. In solemn procession the holy oil is brought before the Bishop, the priests and deacons chanting meanwhile the beautiful hymn of St. Fortunatus. The Bishop then blesses the Oil of the Sick, prefacing the blessing by an exorcism, in order to drive away the influence of the evil ones, who, out of hatred for man, do infest the creatures given to us for our use.
After the oil is blessed, the Bishop returns to the altar, and proceeds with the mass until after the Communion, when he returns to the place prepared for the blessing of the oils. The twelve priests, seven deacons and seven sub-deacons, again repair to the sacristy, bringing out in solemn procession the Oil of Chrism and the Oil of Catechumens, which are carried by two deacons, while a sub-deacon carries the vessel containing the balm. The Bishop begins by blessing this latter, calling it "the fragrant tear of dry bark, the oozing of a favored branch that gives us the priestly unction." Before proceeding with the blessing of the Oil of the Chrism, he thrice breathes upon it in the form of a cross, the twelve priests doing the same, in imitation of our Blessed Saviour breathing upon His Apostles, and conferring the power of the Holy Ghost, who is the spirit or breath. After an exorcism, the Bishop sings the praises of the Chrism in a magnificent preface, coming down from the earliest ages. The balm is then mixed with the Chrism, whereupon the Bishop salutes the holy oil with these words: "Hail, O Holy Chrism," thus honoring the Holy Ghost, who is to work by means of this Sacrament. Each of the twelve priests, making three profound inclinations, pays the Holy Ghost the same honor. The Bishop then blesses the Oil of Catechumens, after which he again salutes the oil, saying: "Hail, O Holy Oil," being followed in this act of reverence by each of the priests. The procession again forms, and carries the sacred oils to the sacristy.