Maundy Thursday – Stripping of The Altar

The Thursday in Holy Week, known as Maundy Thursday, is part of the Triduum, or three holy days before Easter. Maundy is short for Mandatum, coming from the Latin, Mandatum novum do vobis, or “I give you a new commandment.” On the night before He died, Jesus said, “A new commandment I give you: Love one another,” from John 13:34.

Maundy Thursday also commemorates the institution of the Eucharist that night. The gift of love in the Sacrament of Christ’s Body and Blood is the focus of Holy Eucharist.

Some churches have a tradition of the washing of feet, which generally follows the Gospel and sermon in the Maundy Thursday service. At St. Martin’s, immediately following Holy Eucharist, all blessed sacraments are removed, our Altar is stripped and remaining decorative furnishings are removed from the sanctuary and chancel. The special celebration of the institution of the Eucharist on Maundy Thursday is attested by the Council of Hippo in 381^[1].

Thursday morning is a busy time. There are three worship spaces where the paraments and decorative furnishings are removed: Christ Chapel, the Parish Life Center and The Church. Some items in The Church are removed early, such as the greenery urns, extra Books of Common Prayer, Bibles and Hymnals, the large Pavement Candles on the Altar steps, the Paschal Candle, the fair linen in the Patron’s Chapel, the reserved consecrated sacrament stored in the Aumbry and, finally, the Sanctuary Candle is extinguished.

At the service itself, once the bread and wine have been administered to those present, the Clergy exit, Acolytes reverently extinguish the Altar Candles and Office Light Candles. The Altar Guild is busy removing the vessels and other linens that were used in Communion. The Clergy return single file wearing a black cassock alb and kneel at the Altar Rail.

At the appointed time, one pair of Clergy methodically moves around the sanctuary, removing items and handing them to other Clergy members who are waiting to store them in the sacristies. They begin by removing Bibles, Pulpit Fall, Bible Markers, Gospel Book, candles and so on. Once the Fair Linen, Cerecloth and Altar Corporal are removed, the Altar Guild quietly enters and removes the Oxblood and Black decorated Frontal, exposing the beautiful carved features in our marble Altar.

The stripping of the Altar is an ancient custom and is symbolic of the humiliation of Jesus at the hands of the soldiers. The Church lights are dimmed. The final task of washing the Altar is performed and, for me, it is the most profound moment of the service, symbolizing the cleansing of the world through Christ's sacrifice.

Please consider attending these reflective, deeply moving and most memorable services of Holy Week, Maundy Thursday, at 7 p.m. as well as Good Friday at noon and 6 p.m. in The Church.

[1] Don S. Armentrout and Robert Boak Slocum, An Episcopal Dictionary of The Church (New York, NY: Church Publishing Incorporated, 1952) page 325.