Pedilavium (washing of the feet), traces of which are found in the most ancient rites, occurred in many churches on Holy Thursday, the capitilavium (washing of the head) having taken place on Palm Sunday (St. Augustine, "Ep. cxviii, cxix", e. 18).
Dom Granger, The Liturgical Year:
THE WASHING OF THE FEET
After the stripping of the altars, the clergy at a convenient hour meet to perform the ceremony known as the Mandatum. The prelate or priest puts on over the amice and alb a violet stole and cope. Then the deacon, in white vestments (as is also the subdeacon) sings the Gospel Ante diem festum Paschae (as above) in the usual way. The officiating priest then removes his cope, girds himself with a cloth and, assisted by his ministers begins the washing of the feet of thirteen clerics or thirteen poor people chosen for the ccremony. It is obvious that the number was originally twelve, in remembrance of the twelve Apostles. According to a tradition, the alteration was made by St. Gregory the Great. This holy Pope, when washing the feet of twelve poor men, noticed one more, of a very beautiful countenance. When he tried to know who he was, after the ceremony, the mysterious poor had disappeared. St. Gregory believed it was an angel or our Lord himself. The official liturgical book known as the "Ceremonial of the Bishops" prescribes the number of thirteen.
The officiating priest kneels before each one of them, washes, wipes and kisses the foot presented, using the cloth tendered by the deacon. Meanwhile a number of antiphons are sung.
Mandatum novum do vobis: * ut diligatis invicem, sicut dilexi vos, dicit Dominus. Ps. Beati immaculati in via: qui ambulant in lege Domini. Mandatum novum.
After the stripping of the altars, the clergy at a convenient hour meet to perform the ceremony known as the Mandatum. The prelate or priest puts on over the amice and alb a violet stole and cope. Then the deacon, in white vestments (as is also the subdeacon) sings the Gospel Ante diem festum Paschae (as above) in the usual way. The officiating priest then removes his cope, girds himself with a cloth and, assisted by his ministers begins the washing of the feet of thirteen clerics or thirteen poor people chosen for the ccremony. It is obvious that the number was originally twelve, in remembrance of the twelve Apostles. According to a tradition, the alteration was made by St. Gregory the Great. This holy Pope, when washing the feet of twelve poor men, noticed one more, of a very beautiful countenance. When he tried to know who he was, after the ceremony, the mysterious poor had disappeared. St. Gregory believed it was an angel or our Lord himself. The official liturgical book known as the "Ceremonial of the Bishops" prescribes the number of thirteen.
The officiating priest kneels before each one of them, washes, wipes and kisses the foot presented, using the cloth tendered by the deacon. Meanwhile a number of antiphons are sung.
Mandatum novum do vobis: * ut diligatis invicem, sicut dilexi vos, dicit Dominus. Ps. Beati immaculati in via: qui ambulant in lege Domini. Mandatum novum.
A new commandment I give unto you: That you love one another, as I have loved you, says the Lord. Ps. Blessed are the undefiled in the way: who walk in the law of the Lord. A new commandment.
(From John 13:34 and Psalm 118:1)
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Circular Letter Concerning the Preparation and Celebration of the Easter Feasts (Prot. 0)
January 16, 1988
Author:
Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship
Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship
IV. Holy Thursday Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper
51. The washing of the feet of chosen men which, according to tradition, is performed on this day, represents the service and charity of Christ, who came "not to be served, but to serve." [58] This tradition should be maintained, and its proper significance explained.
One can check many blogs/sites professing to exist in defense of Catholic Tradition and on those different blogs/sites one can read a righteous indignation against the abuses of Canon Law and Ecclesiastical tradition by Our Pope and Our Cross and their non-traditional response to the revolution within the form of Catholicism is to surrender to the revolutionaries and to quit the Mandatum.
And then, far too often, these blogs/sites tells us The Mandatum is just optional anyway and so the Mandatum ought be abandoned.
It is true that Our Pope and Our Cross is a revolutionary who has tried to normalise washing the feet of women, mahometan women included, and he also kisses their feet which is an action that generates many complaints that a priest should never kiss the feet , although in Catholic Tradition the priest did kiss the feet of the men whose feet he has just washed. but the right response to disorder is order, not surrender.
But how'n'the'hell is Catholic Tradition served and how is right order defended by abandoning the Maundy washing of feet; and how is Tradition defended when its putative defenders baptise Mandatum with the sacramental of defenestration?
It isn't. It is an epicene capitulation to the revolution.
During a time of revolution, one must become a counter-revolutionary and retain the right tradition of Maundy Thursday.
And then, far too often, these blogs/sites tells us The Mandatum is just optional anyway and so the Mandatum ought be abandoned.
It is true that Our Pope and Our Cross is a revolutionary who has tried to normalise washing the feet of women, mahometan women included, and he also kisses their feet which is an action that generates many complaints that a priest should never kiss the feet , although in Catholic Tradition the priest did kiss the feet of the men whose feet he has just washed. but the right response to disorder is order, not surrender.
But how'n'the'hell is Catholic Tradition served and how is right order defended by abandoning the Maundy washing of feet; and how is Tradition defended when its putative defenders baptise Mandatum with the sacramental of defenestration?
It isn't. It is an epicene capitulation to the revolution.
During a time of revolution, one must become a counter-revolutionary and retain the right tradition of Maundy Thursday.