What is Maundy Thursday? Are schools and banks open? See 15 messages you can send friends, family and priests

Maundy Thursday 2025: Today, April 17, is Maundy Thurday. Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday as it is also known, is part of “Holy Week” observed by Roman Catholics and Christians around the world and in India.

According to the Vatican's online message on Maundy Thursday, on this day Catholics remember Jesus' Last Supper (his last meal with the 12 disciples), the moments leading up to his cruxifiction, and his acceptance of suffering on the cross.

Maundy Thursday is part of “Holy Week”, which includes Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday. It is the first of three days leading up to Easter.

What is Maundy Thursday 2025?

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica's website, Maundy Thursday has been celebrated by Roman Catholics since 1956. On the day, churches prepare and consecrate holy oils for the coming year, and celebrate mass in the evenings to commemorate the sacrament of Holy Communion.

During the evening mass, the priest (or father) washes the feet of 12 people from the local community, in memory of Christ’s washing the feet of his disciples, and signifying the continuance of Jesus' message of service and love. The Eastern Orthodox churches (independent, but broadly under the Catholic Church) also have a ceremony of foot washing and blessing of oil on this day.

What is the Message of Maundy Thursday?

According to the Vatican, Jesus' gesture of washing his disciples feet during the Jewish festival of Passover reveals the message of Maundy Thursday: “service of love”. While it was customary for servants to wash the master feet during Passover, Jesus broke this tradition by washing his followers' feet and tells them to “do this in memory of me” after he is gone.

The word ‘Maundy’ comes from the Latin “mandatum” which means command. Thus, the day remembers Jesus' command to his disciples that night: “Love one another as I have loved you.”

Are Banks and Schools Open on Maundy Thursday?

Yes, in India, banks and schools will be open on Maundy Thurday, April 17. While significant for the country's Catholic population, it is not a scheduled national holiday or RBI listed holiday. However, local governments in Goa, Kerala and north eastern states, which have sizeable Catholic residents, may announce a holiday today, please check with your local banks and authorities for confirmed details.

Notably, banks, government offices and schools across India will be closed on April 18 for Good Friday 2025.

10 Messages To Send Friends, Family and Priests During Maundy Thursday

You may wonder, is it acceptable to send “wishes” to others during Maundy Thursday? Since it is a time of reflection and prayer, not celebration, messages of encouragement and solidarity, and sharing words from the Holy Bible are more appropriate.

So, how can you wish family, friends and priests on Maundy Thursday? Below are some Bible passages, quotes, prayers and messages you can use:

• Anonymous: “We are called to be Christ-like in our humility, in our willingness to serve, and in our love for others.”
• Mother Teresa: “When you look at the Crucifix, you understand how much Jesus loved you then. When you look at the Sacred Host, you understand how much Jesus loves you now.”
• St. Benedict: “To wash another’s feet is to love them without condition, to serve without seeking.”
• Pope Francis: “In the humility of the washing of the feet, we find the greatest heights of love.”
• St. Thomas Aquinas: “The eucharist is the sacrament of love; it signifies love, it produces love.”

Bible Quotes to share:

• John 13:34: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”
• John 13:13-14: “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.”
• John 13:15: “For I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”
• Mark 10:45: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
• Luke 22:26: “The greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves.”
• John 13: 1: “Now before the Festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father…Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.”

Some reflections and messages:

• On this Maundy Thursday, a day of holy observance, remember its true meaning—love, kindness, and humility, and take this opportunity to spread a little joy.
• This Maundy Thursday, let us honour the memory of Jesus’ last meal with his disciples, embracing the lessons of love and sacrifice He left us.
• Maundy Thursday is a perfect day to take a moment, reflect, and maybe do something nice for someone else.
• Fr Antony Kadavil of the Vatican writes: “In the older English version of the Mass, the final message was, “Go in peace to love and serve one another,” that is, to carry Jesus to our homes and places of work, conveying to others around us the love, mercy, forgiveness and spirit of humble service of Christ whom we carry with us. That message has not changed, though the words are different.”

About Holy Week: Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter 2025

• Good Friday: Christians across the globe observe Good Friday to mark the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It is a day of reflection and prayer (and fasting for some) to remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for humanity. Good Friday carries a message of love, hope and redemption. It is observed on the Friday of Holy Week, ending with Easter on Sunday. According to the Bible, Jesus Christ Jesus Christ gave his life on the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity.

Good Friday is a day of mourning for Christians across the world due to the death of Jesus Christ on this day. It is a day to reflect on the suffering of Christ rather than celebration. Even though Good Friday is a day of mourning, it is called “good” as Christians consider the crucifixion of Jesus Christ is considered to a sacrifice for the salvation of humanity and an act of love and redemption, a core belief of Christianity.

• Holy Saturday is the eve before Easter, where Christians anticipate the resurrection of Jesus on Easter. Most churches across the world will celebrate the “Easter vigil” service or midnight mass on April 19, whcih will end early the next day — on Easter 2025.
• Easter Sunday, also called Resurrection Day, is among the primary festivals of the Christian church and commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after his crucifixion. Christians around the world celebrate Easter as a joyful occasion. The day symbolises the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecies and the revelation of God’s plan for humanity's salvation.

During Easter Sunday, families gather for feasts, and churches hold special services. The tradition of Easter eggs, widely observed during this season, symbolises rebirth and new life.