Conger

Buckingham Palace has announced that the Church of Ireland will host this year’s Royal Maundy Thursday service.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will travel to St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh for the March 20 Office of Royal Maundy where 82 men and 82 women will be presented with “Maundy money.”

The recipients of the silver coins are local pensioners who have made a “significant contribution” to Church or civic life. They will be chosen by the leaders of Ulster’s four main churches: the Church of Ireland, the Roman Catholic Church, the Methodist Church and the Presbyterian Church.

The distribution of alms on Maundy Thursday has its origin in our Jesus washing of the disciples’ feet. The tradition of the Sovereign giving money to the poor dates from the 13th century. Gifts of food and clothing were also distributed by the monarch while James II was the last King to wash the recipient’s feet.

The number of recipients is by tradition set by the age of the monarch-who is 82 years of age. The Queen will be accompanied by the Choir of the Royal Chapel who along with the St Patrick’s Choir, will lead worship.

The Dean of Armagh, the Very Rev Patrick Rooke stated the selection of his cathedral was a “great honour for us in Armagh. We are excited and certain that this will be a memorable and special service for all those involved.”

This year’s service will mark the first time the service has been held in Northern Ireland, and only the second time it has been held outside of England. In 1982 the service was held at the Church in Wales’ St. David’s Cathedral in Dyfed.

The word “Maundy” is derived from the first antiphon traditionally sung at the ceremony: “Mandatum novum do vobis”: A new commandment give I unto you. John 13.34.