Great & Holy Thursday / Maundy Thursday
(Thursday of Mysteries) day in the Orthodox Church
Today, a day before the suffering of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ for our sins remission we do commemorate the day of the
Last Supper or
(The Supper of Mysteries) in the
Orthdox Church.
According to our Church tradition today is
the day on which the
saviour has established the Church mystery of the Sacrements!
(Eucharist)
Here are the exact passages from (Matthew 26:26-28), where by the
word of the Lord the Eucharist was established:
"Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and
broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, 'Take, eat; this
is my body.' And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he
gave it to them, saying, 'Drink of it, all of you; for this is my
blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the
forgiveness of sins.'" (Mt. 26:26-28)
The feast is celebrated with a morning Holy Liturgy among all
Eastern Orthodox Churches around the world.
It's common that many layman do confess and take the sacraments on
this date.
Before sacraments are received we the layman confess our
unworthiness for Christ and beg for him to make us worthy to
receive the communion with the prayer:
I believe, O Lord, and I confess that Thou art truly the Christ,
the Son of the Living God, who camest into the world to save
sinners, of whom I am the first (see 1 Tim 1:15). I believe also
that this is truly Thine own most pure Body, and that this is truly
Thine own most precious Blood. Therefore I pray Thee: Have mercy
upon me and forgive me my transgressions, committed in word and
deed, whether consciously or unconsciously. And make me worthy to
partake without condemnation of Thy most pure Mysteries, for the
remission of sins and unto life everlasting. Of Thy Mystical
Supper, O Son of God, accept me today as a communicant. For I will
not speak of Thy Mystery to Thine enemies, neither like Judas will
I give Thee a kiss; but like the thief will I confess Thee:
"Remember me, O Lord, in Thy Kingdom." May the communion of Thy
Holy Mysteries be neither to my judgment, nor to my condemnation, 0
Lord, but to the healing of soul and body.
This prayer is actually said everytime before we do take the
sacraments through the year, so it's one of the most-important
prayers in our Orthodox Church life.
The Holy Communion establishment is also an act of remembrance a of
the Lord's suffering for the remission of our sins according to his
commandment.
One major difference between Orthodoxy and Protestanism concerning
Eucharist is that we orthodox believe that by taking the
sacraments, we do receive the Most-holy flesh and blood of Christ
and through his blood and flesh, the damage sin has created in our
hearts, minds and souls (which is forgiven by God in the the
mystery of the confessment) is being recovered
completely.