Royal Maundy "Maundy", and the Royal Maundy service evolved from Jesus' command to his disciples. By the fourth or fifth century a ceremony had been developed following Holy Communion on Maundy Thursday, in which high Church leaders washed the feet of the poor. The ceremony, known as the "pedilavium", was performed daily in some monasteries; in 992, Bishop Oswald of Worcester died during its performance. The first English monarch to be recorded as distributing alms at a Maundy service was John, who on 15 April 1210 donated garments, forks, food, and other gifts to the poor of Knaresborough, Yorkshire. John is also
Saint George's Day Georgiritt takes place on 23 April and leads from Gunzendorf up onto the Senftenberg. This is a kind of pilgrimage traditionally done on horseback. Under the state atheism of former Eastern Bloc countries, the celebration of Saint George's Day was historically suppressed. If St George's Day (or any saint's day) falls during Holy Week or on Easter Day, it is observed on Easter Monday. The Russian Orthodox Church, which uses the Julian calendar, has two important feasts of Saint George. Besides the feast of 23 April (6 May in the Gregorian calendar), common through all Christendom, Russians also celebrate the