Maundy Thursday Holy Eucharist Rite II and Stripping of the Altar

The New Commandment and the Institution of the Eucharist

Maundy Thursday takes its name from the Latin mandatum — “commandment” — recalling Jesus’ charge to his disciples on the night of the Last Supper: “Love one another as I have loved you.” It is a day that gathers some of the most tender and weighty moments in the Christian story: the institution of the Eucharist, the washing of feet, and the long shadow of what is coming.

This principal evening liturgy is celebrated in both English and Spanish, gathering the full Cathedral community — and all who wish to join — around the same table, in the same act of remembrance. The service includes the Eucharist, the ceremony of foot washing, and concludes with the Stripping of the Altar: a hauntingly beautiful ritual in which all decorative furnishings are removed from the sanctuary in silence. What is left is bare, stark, and honest — a space that mirrors the abandonment of Christ and prepares our hearts for Good Friday.

There is nothing quite like witnessing the altar stripped. It is one of the most powerful moments in the liturgical year, and it is not easily forgotten.

The Triduum has begun. Come and follow.