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17/04/2025
Merry Maundy Thursday!
This is the day before Good Friday celebrated by many religious groups, it is the day that marks the date of the last Supper, where Jesus and his disciples came together for the last time. While this is of course an important day to observe for the religious, and for those that aren’t it may also be a day that through tradition has been handed down as a good reason to get the family together for a nice dinner… just as long as there aren’t 13 of you…
Despite any personal differences or beliefs it is always a nice idea to bring people together, especially if it is about something that matters to everyone, and on the Subject of Maundy Thursday, let's talk about something that everyone really cares about… MONEY!!!
Getting money is always a joy, and what better way of getting money than when it is willingly handed out! Since Charles 2nd acceded the throne with establishment of the Constitutional Monarchy, to carry favour with his now re-subjugated populace, he enacted many new acts and policies that would prove popular with the general folk. One of these was the distributing of a ceremonial coin to symbolise the giving of alms for Maundy Thursday.
It spans from the act of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples, “As I have done unto you, so shall you do unto others”. In fact the Maundy service did not always involve the distribution of alms for the poor but was actually a pious and humanitarian act of humility to wash the feet of the poor. Monarchs and Bishops would be expected to commit this act of humility to show their reverence and Charity.
The first to hand out money in alms for Maundy rather than wash the poor, was King John in 1213, who first made the act of handing out money in dominations of 1p, 2p, 3p, and four pence, which are traditionally represented on the coins today, by the numerical face on each coin. He first did this at Rochester which in 2 years time would also be the very Castle to defy his authority as King leading to him being forced to Sign Magna Carta at Runnymede in 1215. Which very much like the symbolic nature of his Maundy Service, to regard the lowliest on equal footing, also failed to really establish regard towards the lowest classes. Superficially it was seen as a grand gesture, substantively it did very little for them… but that is a topic for another time.
Today the King will be handing out Maundy Money, during the Maundy Thursday Church service and if you are lucky enough to attend the service and are eligible, you can get one of those fancy coins… that aren’t legal tender.
On the other hand, you’re reading this, so probably aren’t eligible or attending the service, so as you are out and about the, make sure to give someone less fortunate than yourself a bit of help or leg up by giving them a few bob, as I assume you probably won’t wash their feet, not that they asked you to, or you could throw some Monopoly Money at them and say it’s traditional Maundy Money.
