Music for Maundy Thursday

[hrmjustin]

Maundy or Holy Thursday is the commemoration of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ and his apostles before his crucifixion. This is where the service of the Eucharist, mass, or communion comes from. This is also when Jesus washed the feet of his followers.
Tomorrow churches of the west will observe communion services of many different types. Some denominations only do the Eucharist once a year on this day, while others do it once a month, once every two weeks, once a week, or every day. The Eucharist is the main form of worship for what would be called high churches or more ritualistic churches. In many of these high churches like mine the Episcopal Church we reserve the sacrament or communion for the Good Friday service the next day. The Eucharist can not be celebrated on Good Friday or Holy Saturday. There is usually a foot washing. In some churches like mine and the Roman Catholic Church we process with the sacrament to a chapel where the watch is kept. The watch represents Jesus in the Gethsemane garden were he was praying before his arrest. At the end of the service we strip the altar of all vestments and trappings. This represent when Jesus was stripped before he went on the cross. A meal is sometimes shared in some parishes at the end or during the service.

Music for Maundy Thursday
Ubi caritas is sung during the foot washings.
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Palestrina is usually sung as a communion motet
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Pange lingua or Now my tongue, the mystery telling is sung during the procession of the blessed sacrament. In my church we sing it in english but some sing it in Latin.
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This is a nice version but it is more relaxed than it is in a church service.