By the Office of Communication
Catholic Christians have observed the Maunday Thursday today. It is a commemoration of the day when Jesus Christ ate His final Passover meal with His disciples, before He was crucified. In the Diocese of Mangochi, this observance took place in all parishes and other churches with the availability of priests. At St. Augustine’s (Mangochi) Cathedral, it was led by His Lordship, Montfort Stima, the bishop of the Diocese of Mangochi.
As Jesus taught His disciples by good example, the bishop also encouraged Christians to lead by example and serve all people with humility. With an activity of washing the feet of His disciples, the bishop said that it does not mean that people should wash feet in reality but they should do good things to others like cheering the sick or giving the needy. He said that Christians should observe Maunday Thursday because it is a big day in the Catholic Church when we Jesus instituted the sacraments of Eucharist and Ordination to Priesthood.
It surprised His disciples, especially Peter, to see Jesus washing their feet and wiping them with a piece of cloth. Jesus wanted to give them a lesson that if Him as Teacher had done so, then they too had to be doing likewise. It is from this background that the observance of Maunday Thursday came into being in the Catholic Church. This observance takes place on Thursday of the Holy Week, just before the Good Friday. Among other activities done on Maunday Thursday, there is a ritual of washing feet of twelve selected people symbolizing the twelve apostles and also Adoration of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. Where there is enough security, people have vigils while adoring Christ in the Eucharist.
