Why On Earth Is Maundy Thursday Called Maundy Thursday?

Hello to my Coxettes, it’s your devilishly handsome mentor Prof Brian Cox here, and I have to admit, that for the first time one of your questions has completely stumped me. I do have a good excuse in that it’s not a scientific question but rather a religious one… But normally I know everything so am perturbed I can’t answer. The question that’s thwarted me is “why on earth is Maundy Thursday so named?” My first port of call was online but that threw up total rubbish, although it did inform me that the day is in remembrance of the Christian’s leader, Jesus, having a “last” supper for some friends and for some reason instead of washing their hands before eating he cleaned his guests feet… And bizarrely I can find no scientific reason for doing sot! Anyway, the Thursday bit of the name is obviously because the meal was on the evening before Friday morning, but I found no hint of what Maundy means? I even tried ringing our local vicar but he didn’t answer nor does he have an answerphone or email address… So I am flummoxed and can only only guess it’s a misspelling, perhaps of laundry Thursday or quandary Thursday (apt if Jesus didn’t know what to cook). And on that note i’m going to have a zoom call with my good friend Boy George, perhaps he’ll know the origin of the name? Keep well, Prof Brian Cox.

Easter Services This Easter

Hello my flock. May I wish you all a very happy Easter and invite you to the services we are having this weekend. We kick things off this evening at 5.45 with our traditional Maundy Thursday Service. In accordance to the Holy scriptures, and to remember the last supper, we will eat fish and chips in the pews and afterwards I will wash the feet and socks of members of the congregation. But please eat the food quickly and don’t come with dirty feet or footwear as the service mustn’t drag on and must finish by 7.15 (I need to get home to see Eastenders and Masterchef). Tomorrow at 5am we will have our Good Friday family service, including a blessing of baby chicks and lambs followed by communion with wine and Hot Cross Buns. Then, after a break to allow me to watch This Morning with my favourite host Philip “Pip” Schofield, we will be staging St Faith’s annual Multi Faith Good Friday Sports Day. Hosted by us every Easter to remember the time our Lord was crucified and then rolled away a stone to “rise again.” We celebrate the occasion with friends and foe of all faiths including the atheists, whether you believe in one God, no God or numerous all our welcome. It’s joyous that a shared love of competitive sports and the temptation of finding the half-dozen cream-eggs hidden around the church yard can bring a community together. Saturday will be a day of rest, feasting and shopping and then on Sunday we will have four Easter services, at 6.30am, 10am, 3pm and 6.15pm (and as they don’t clash with any good telly you’ve no excuse for not attending). On Monday we will have a mass at 11am with a blind-fold egg and spoon race through the grave yard afterwards. I trust we will see you at ALL of the services. Happy Easter and God Bless You All. Cyril Knutsford, Vicar, Beckworth St Faiths

Germany Prepares For Easter

(Above) Documentary evidence of the church’s difficult, yet popular, annual Easter egg hunt in full flow last year