PANAJI
The symbolic washing of people’s feet by priests during Mass was part of Holy (Maundy) Thursday services celebrated across churches, chapels and catholic institutions in the State.
While several parishes celebrated Masses open air and inside the churches to cater to large congregations, unseasonal rains in the evening disrupted many of the open-air services.
Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao presided over the Holy Thursday services at the Se Cathedral in Old Goa.
Holy Thursday is the first day of the Easter Triduum and Catholics commemorate the institution of three pillars of the Catholic Faith: Holy Eucharist, the Priesthood and the Commandment of Love.
The rite of the washing of the feet by priests during the mass was a symbolic enactment of the tradition based on the belief that Christ washed the feet of his apostles before the final meal together before his crucifixion.
Priests also exhorted the Catholic community to love one another through humble service.
“From the evening of the Lord’s Supper on Maundy Thursday until the evening of Easter Sunday, the Church celebrates the Easter Triduum that includes the Good Friday, the Holy Saturday and the Lord’s Resurrection on Easter Vigil followed by Easter Sunday,” explained Fr Walter de Sa, Parish Priest of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church at Panaji.
“On Maundy Thursday, Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist, the Priesthood and the Commandment of Love. This threefold act of Jesus is interconnected and is central to Christianity that He founded in the New Testament.”
“Maundy Thursday invites all of us to render service primarily to the poor and the needy in whom we discover the face of Jesus,” he said.
The Panaji Church marked Maundy Thursday by inculcating the spirit of service to people and to acknowledge the selfless services rendered by people, particularly during the pandemic.
“During the ceremony of the washing of feet, the parish had chosen individuals like a doctor, a social worker, a couple, a youth, a widow, a religious and others who suffered a lot during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Fr de Sa.
“Despite their struggles, they reached out to others in different forms to mitigate their pain and suffering, risking at times their own lives.”
Later, night vigil services were also conducted where the Catholics participated in the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
A popular practice marking Maundy Thursday has been the preparation of hot cross buns by traditional bakeries and cake shops in major cities.
