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
Holy Week in Braga flames. Some “farricocos” accompany nearby the “fogaréus” with baskets of pine cones to go renewing the fire. As a whole, they are exotic and impressive figures, which became, for many people, a species of ex-libris of the Holy Week of Braga. See its brief description before. It is a very rooted custom in the North of Portugal, on Easter Sunday. A group of people (“Compasso”), whenever possible chaired by a priest, with festive costumes, departing from their parish church with a decked cross go to visit Christian families to announce the Christ resurrection and to bless their homes. Ring the