What does Holy Thursday Commemorate?

Holy Thursday is the commemoration of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ, when he established the sacrament of Holy Communion prior to his arrest and crucifixion. It also commemorates His institution of the priesthood. The holy day falls on the Thursday before Easter and is part of Holy Week.  Jesus celebrated the dinner as a Passover feast.  Christ would fulfill His role as the Christian victim of the Passover for all to be saved by His final sacrifice.

The Last Supper was the final meal Jesus shared with his Disciples in Jerusalem and during this Passover meal,

...Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body." Then he took a cup, gave thanks,and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.  I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father.”  
Matthew 26: 26-29

It is believed those who eat of Christ's flesh and blood shall have eternal life. 



Christ also establishes the special priesthood for his disciples, which is distinct from the "priesthood of all believers."  Christ washed the feet of his Disciples, who would become the first priests.

So when he had washed their feet [and] put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you?   You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am.  
If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet.  I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.
John 13: 12-15

 

Holy Thursday is the feast that marks the end of Lent and the beginning of the Holy Triduum, which also includes Good Friday, Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday.  At this Mass of the Lord’s Supper Catholics remember the Passover meal, when Jesus instituted the sacrament of the holy Eucharist by sharing bread and wine with his disciples, saying, “Do this in memory of Me.”

At the end of the Holy Thursday Mass, the Eucharist is placed on a temporary “altar of repose” away from the sanctuary.  It is customary for the faithful to process together to this altar and spend time in quiet prayer and adoration.  In the Roman Missal, it states:  “The faithful are invited to continue adoration before the Blessed Sacrament for a suitable length of time during the night, according to circumstance.”

The Seven Churches Visitation is a tradition that grew out of this time of prayer and adoration.  Catholics remember when Jesus asked his disciples to stay and watch with Him while they were in the garden.  This tradition of mindful watching is a sort of pilgrimage to various altars of repose, in different churches that correspond to each of the seven places, or “stations,” that were made by Jesus between the Last Supper in the Upper Room to His crucifixion on the cross.

The seven stations consist of: Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22: 39-46), Jesus bound and taken before Annas (John 18: 19-22), Jesus taken before the High Priest, Caiaphas (Matthew 26: 63-65), Jesus taken before Pilate (John 18, 35-37), Jesus taken before Herod (Luke 23: 8-9; 11), Jesus taken before Pilate again (Matthew 27: 22-26) and Jesus given the crown of thorns and led to his crucifixion (Matthew 27: 27-31).

Upon entering each church, pilgrims visit the altar of repose, kneel, make the sign of the cross, read the appropriate scripture for each station and engage in private prayer and adoration.  Some may add other prayers as well.  At the seventh station, many will close their pilgrimage by opting to observe a Holy Hour.

The origin of the Seven Churches Visitation is typically credited to Saint Philip Neri and is practiced by Catholics around the world, including in Poland, Mexico, Italy and the Philippines. The devotion can also be traced back to the Station Churches of Rome, where the tradition is still practiced.

Some will argue that the Holy Thursday pilgrimage has roots in the Book of Revelation, in which the Seven Ancient Churches are visited by an angel. For those who live in an urban area with several Catholic churches nearby, they may want to visit seven different churches.  However, those who live in a rural area can still take part in the tradition by praying all seven stations.  For participating families with young ones, adaptations can be made for the sake of time and parish availability.  Pilgrims may choose to say prayers for two stations at one location.

The Seven Churches Visitation is a powerful way to spend time in adoration, meditating on Christ’s sacrifice of love for the salvation of souls in preparation for the joy of Easter. There is something special about visiting churches late into the night. It is not just because of the opportunity to visit other parishes, it’s because of intentionally seeking Christ to spend time with Him and contemplating the gift of His love.

- Stephanie Patka, Secretariat Director of Communications at todayscatholic.com