On Holy Thursday (also called Maundy Thursday), Christians remember the final evening of Jesus’ life before his crucifixion, especially the Last Supper and the events that followed it.

Key events of Holy Thursday

  • Last Supper (Passover meal) – Jesus celebrates a Passover meal with his disciples, often called the Last Supper, where he shares bread and wine and links them to his body and blood, forming the basis of the Christian Eucharist or Holy Communion.
  • Washing of the disciples’ feet – During the meal, Jesus gets up, wraps a towel around himself, and washes his disciples’ feet as a dramatic sign of humble service, then commands them to do likewise for others.
  • “New commandment” of love – He gives a “new commandment” that his followers love one another as he has loved them, which is why the day is sometimes called “Maundy” (from the Latin mandatum , meaning “command”).
  • Institution of the priesthood – Many Christian traditions, especially Catholic and Orthodox, see this night as the institution of the ministerial priesthood, tied to Jesus’ command to “do this in memory of me.”

What happens after the meal

  • Agony in the Garden – After singing a hymn, Jesus and the disciples go out to the Mount of Olives, to the Garden of Gethsemane, where he prays in deep anguish about the suffering to come.
  • Betrayal and arrest – Judas arrives with a crowd carrying weapons, betrays Jesus, and he is arrested; Jesus stops his followers from fighting back and even heals the ear of the high priest’s servant.
  • Taken before authorities – Through the night that follows, he is bound and brought before Jewish and Roman authorities, beginning the process that will lead to his crucifixion on Good Friday.

How churches mark Holy Thursday today

  • Many churches hold an evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper , retelling the Last Supper and focusing on the Eucharist.
  • In many traditions, there is a foot-washing rite that reenacts Jesus washing the disciples’ feet as a sign of service and humility.
  • The liturgy often ends in silence as the altar is stripped and the Blessed Sacrament is taken to a separate place for quiet prayer, recalling Jesus’ arrest and the start of his passion.

Simple one‑line answer

Holy Thursday commemorates Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples, the washing of their feet, the command to love, and his agonizing prayer and arrest in Gethsemane the night before he was crucified.