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Maundy Thursday - Myths and Traditions

Antonia R.Antonia R.
Novice
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Christ

According to the Bible, Jesus Christ was caught at the Garden of Gethsemane during prayer. Easter eggs are traditionally dyed on this day.

The Last Supper was held on the night of Maundy Thursday, when Jesus predicted his death in front of his 12 apostles and said that one of them would betray him.

Once he left his followers, Jesus went to the Gethsemane Garden, located in the western part of the Mount of Olives, to pray.

During his prayer, one of his apostles - Judas, came to him and kissed him on one cheek, thereby giving the signal to the hidden Roman soldiers that that was the Messiah.

Panettone

Since then, the kiss of Judas has been a symbol of betrayal.

Jesus was arrested on Maundy Thursday, while Pontius Pilate confirmed his death sentence, which Joseph Caiaphas pronounced, after which Pilate symbolically washed his hands.

Eggs are traditionally dyed on the fourth day of the Holy Week; the first one must always be red. The red egg is used to paint a cross on the foreheads of children and then on the other members of the family.

Dyeing eggs

The first egg is kept in the home until the following Easter, in order to bring health, happiness and luck.

The eggs that are to be dyed need to be of odd number.

According to legend, the dyeing of eggs became a part of Christianity when Mary Magdalene visited the Roman Emperor and gave him a red egg as a gift, symbolizing Christ's blood.

On Maundy Thursday, the priests in every Orthodox church take the cross out of the altar, which symbolizes Christ carrying it to Golgotha.

Kneading of traditional Easter bread (panettone) begins on the fourth day of the week before Easter.

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