Search: maundy
Why: It(wa)'s today, the Thursday before Easter. Also called Holy Thursday, and for the superexcited/pious (i.e. Eastern Orthodox), Great and Holy Thursday.
Answer: It comes from the Latin word mandatum meaning "commandment" or the Latin word mendicare meaning "beg." Or:
- from Middle English and Old French mandé, from the Latin mandatum, the first word of the phrase "Mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos" ("A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you"), from the John (13:34). Here, Jesus explained to the Apostles the significance of his action of washing their feet.
- from "maundsor" baskets, in which the king of England distributed alms to certain poor at Whitehall: "maund" is connected with the Latin mendicare and French mendier, "to beg."
- BUT! if the name were derived from the Latin mandatum, the day would be called Mandy Thursday, Mandate Thursday, or even Mandatum Thursday. The term "Maundy" comes from the Latin mendicare, Old French mendier, and English maund:
v. "to beg"
n. a small basket held out by maunders as they maunded (begged, doy)
The More You Know: In Germany, Czecho, and Slovakia, the day is known as "Green Thursday," in contrast to "White Saturday." This has something to do with church bells being silent until Saturday. I don't know.
