The greatest church holiday on April 17 is Maundy Thursday: what not to do, folk signs

Maundy Thursday is an important day of Holy Week, which reminds believers of the Last Supper, the Savior's last meal with the disciples, during which Christ instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist and washed the apostles' feet, setting an example of humility and service to one's neighbor. In 2025, it falls on April 17th. Read about the meaning of the holiday, as well as about its prohibitions and folk signs in the Izvestia article.

What is the church holiday today on April 17th

On the fourth day of Holy Week, Orthodox Christians celebrate Great or Pure Thursday, symbolizing spiritual and bodily purification. On this day, the Church and the faithful remember the Last Supper, when Christ taught the apostles a lesson in humility by washing their feet, as servants usually did for their masters.

After that, Jesus established the sacrament of communion or the Eucharist (translated from ancient Greek — thanksgiving, gratitude, appreciation), breaking bread, pouring wine and serving them with the words: "This is My Body, <...> this is My Blood of the New Testament, shed for many." From that moment on, according to the Apostle Paul, by receiving communion in the temple, Christians "partake of the Body and Blood of Christ."

After that, the Savior retired to the Garden of Gethsemane, located at the foot of the Mount of Olives, to turn to God with prayer. This is one of the most dramatic moments in the history of the Gospel. Christ, knowing of the impending sufferings, cried out with deep human sorrow that, if possible, this fate might pass Him by.

Holy Week in 2025: how to fast and behave

On April 14, Orthodox Christians begin six days of the strictest fasting.

However, overcoming His inner struggle, He concluded the prayer with words of complete humility and devotion: "However, not as I want, but as You do." Prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane has become a symbol of spiritual achievement — the voluntary acceptance of suffering for the salvation of mankind.

Maundy Thursday is not just an important date in the church calendar, but also a moment of reassessment of life for every believer before Easter. The day of confession, unity with God and others, when the external order (in the house, body and affairs) becomes a reflection of the inner desire for light and forgiveness.

The epithet "pure" was originally understood literally. According to the theologian Aurelius Augustine, who lived in the fourth century, in the first centuries those preparing for Baptism observed strict fasting and did not wash for 40 days in order to undergo ablution on Holy Thursday before receiving the sacrament. Over time, physical purity became only a symbol of the main thing — the purification of the soul.

On Thursday evening, one of the most soulful and lengthy divine services of Holy Week takes place — the reading of Twelve Gospel passages about the sufferings and death on the cross of Christ. These lines are not just a chronicle of events, but a symbolic "touch" to the Savior's feat, a call for complicity and compassion. After the service, it is customary for believers to take lighted candles with them. They try to bring them home without extinguishing the fire, which is considered a good sign.

What can I do on Maundy Thursday, April 17th

Maundy Thursday is a significant day of Holy Week. It is advisable for believers to start the day with prayer, church visits and confession for those who have been preparing for it throughout Holy Week.

Preparations for Easter are also being completed at this time. Housewives clean up the house, distribute or throw away unnecessary things and focus on culinary preparations — cooking, coloring Easter eggs, kneading sourdough, baking cakes.

All these actions are perceived not just as a daily routine, but as an expression of love and attention to the holiday, to the family, to spiritual traditions. Therefore, it is important not to fall into formality, but to maintain a prayerful mood and awareness of what is happening.

Holy Week in 2025: dates, a biblical description of each day

Holy Week this year will begin on April 14th.

In Russia, in memory of how Christ washed the feet of his disciples during the Last Supper, they tried to wash before dawn in order to celebrate Holy Thursday refreshed. There was a popular belief that this tradition helps to get rid of diseases, the evil eye and accumulated negativity.

In some regions, a mug of water was placed on the window the night before so that it would "absorb" the morning light and acquire cleansing properties. After washing themselves with this water, people believed that they would gain protection for the whole year.

Also, according to popular beliefs, on this day you should go to the sauna, paying attention not only to spiritual, but also to bodily cleansing.

What not to do on Maundy Thursday in 2025

There are a number of restrictions on Maundy Thursday. The main focus of the day is to preserve inner peace, so quarrels, conflicts, and aggression are prohibited on this day. It is believed that insults and harsh words can disrupt the subtle "inner attunement" to the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ.

Lent continues, so noisy feasts and excessive fun should be avoided. Church regulations prohibit weddings and any entertainment events on this day.

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Maundy Thursday provides for a reduction in nutrition compared to the rest of Holy Week: boiled, hot food with the addition of vegetable oil and wine (in memory of the Last Supper) are allowed. But fish, meat, and dairy products remain banned.

Bright Thursday before Easter: folk signs on April 17th

For centuries, our ancestors have attached special importance to Maundy Thursday, associating numerous everyday and weather signs with it. For example, to see a bee or a butterfly on this day was considered a good sign, foreshadowing harmony in the house.

There was also a belief that the money recalculated on this day would be "found" all year round. The housewives tried to put their wallets in order, pay off their debts, and celebrate the holiday with "clean" hands and orderly affairs.

According to weather signs, a clear and sunny Maundy Thursday promises a rich harvest, and rain means a wet summer with lots of mushrooms. Also, a flowering willow and a large number of cobwebs "speak" about a warm, fertile summer.

Earlier, Izvestia was told when to bake cakes, paint eggs, and clean the house during Holy Week.