TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The symbolic washing of people’s feet by priests marked the celebration of Holy (Maundy)
services across churches, chapels and Catholic institutions in the State on Thursday evening.
Holy Thursday is the first day of the Easter Triduum and Catholics commemorate the institution of three
pillars of the Catholic Faith: the Sacrament of Holy Communion, the priesthood and the Mass.
The rite of washing of the feet by priests during the mass was a symbolic enactment of the tradition
based on the belief that Christ washed the feet of his apostles before the final meal together before his
crucifixion. By this lowly act of service, priests exhorted the Catholic community to love one another
through humble service.
Since the day also marked the institution of the priesthood, the main celebrants at the Mass urged the
faithful to be close to their priests with affection and with their prayers, so that priests may always be
shepherds according to God’s heart.
Later, night vigil services were also conducted where the Catholics participated in the adoration of the
Blessed Sacrament.
A popular practice marking Maundy Thursday was also the preparation of hot cross buns. Traditional
bakeries and cake shops in major cities did brisk business in the sale of hot cross buns.
Meanwhile at the Vatican, Pope Francis washed the feet of prisoners in a youth detention centre near
Rome on Maundy Thursday.
The Pope’s decision to celebrate Christ’s Last Supper in the Casal del Marmo prison in northwest
Rome, rather than in St John Lateran’s Basilica as per tradition, has indicated the importance of
reaching out to those in need.
Earlier on Thursday morning, Pope Francis warned Catholic priests around the world that “the reason
why some priests grow dissatisfied, lose heart and become in some sense collectors of antiques or
novelties” comes from seldom going out of oneself, which leads to “missing out on the best of our
people”.
Instead, he strongly urged priests to be “shepherds who have the smell of their sheep’.”
While celebrating the solemn Holy Thursday Chrism Mass in the Vatican Basilica, Pope Francis
pointed out to them that the “clear proof” to recognizing a good priest is “by the way his people are
anointed”.
He added that “it is not in soul-searching or constant introspection that we encounter the Lord: self-help
courses can be useful in life, but to live our priestly life by going from one course to another, from one
method to another, leads us to become pelagians and to minimize the power of grace, which comes
alive and flourishes to the extent that we, in faith, go out and give ourselves and the Gospel to others”.
