Holy Thursday, traditions and customs. Starting from this day, Hell and Heaven are open, and the souls of the sleeping ones roam freely

One of the traditions of Maundy Thursday is for Orthodox Christians to go to confession and communion.

At the same time, they also participate in the service of the 12 Gospels that all priests perform on Maundy Thursday of Passion Week.

On Maundy Thursday, most housewives everywhere prepare traditional Easter dishes, such as cozonac or pasca.

Also on Maundy Thursday, Christians observe a series of traditions and customs in order to have luck and prosperity throughout the year.

Traditions and customs on Holy Thursday

On Maundy Thursday of Passion Week, the washing of the disciples’ feet by the Savior, the Last Supper, the prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, and the selling of the Lord by Judas are celebrated.

On Holy Thursday, Christians go to Denia of the 12 Gospels. According to Christian tradition, starting from Maundy Thursday and ending at Pentecost, Hell and Heaven are open, and the souls of the sleeping ones roam freely.

Another Christian tradition says that the spirits of the sleeping come to their homes and stay until Pentecost.

In certain areas of the country, on Maundy Thursday, bonfires are made for the sleeping, so that they “warm up”. The wood used for the fire is not cut, but broken by hand and is not left at all down to the house.

Another Maundy Thursday custom concerned erotic magic. The older girls and the young wives who wanted to be played by the lads each took a money bag and hid it near a well, which they left there overnight. Afterwards, they took it out from where they hid it, and on Easter Sunday they put it around their neck again, to charm the boys.

Also on Maundy Thursday, Easter eggs are also reddened, as a symbol of fecundity. In Bucovina, for example, the custom of sealing eggs is still preserved. These are emptied of their content and then decorated with popular motifs and geometric, phytomorphic or zoomorphic symbols.

What not to do on Maundy Thursday of Passion Week

It is a great sin not to light candles and give alms for the souls of the dead on Maundy Thursday.

On Maundy Thursday of Passion Week it is not good to sleep. It is said that whoever falls asleep during the day on this day will be lazy for a whole year.

If a woman falls asleep on Maundy Thursday of Passion Week, she will become Joimăriţa, and as a punishment, she will no longer be able to work for the whole year.

At the same time, on Maundy Thursday of Passion Week, clothes are not washed. According to Romanian folklore, those who wash clothes on Maundy Thursday bring the sleeping ones alms instead of alms.

Prayer on Maundy Thursday of Passion Week for the salvation of the sleeping

On Maundy Thursday, Orthodox Christians can say one of the most powerful prayers for the salvation of the sleeping.

“Remember, Lord, those who fell asleep in the hope of the resurrection and the life to come, our parents and brothers, and all those who committed themselves in the right faith, and forgive them all their mistakes word or deed or thought they committed, place them, Lord, in bright places, in green places, in places of rest, from where all pain, sorrow and sighing have fled, and where the search of the Face Thy make glad all Thy saints of the ages.

Grant to them and to us Thy Kingdom and the sharing of Thy unspeakable and eternal bounties and the enjoyment of Thy endless and blissful life.

That You are the resurrection and the rest of Your sleeping servants (name), Christ, our God, and to You we raise glory, together with the One without beginning of Your Father and the Most Holy and Good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages . Amen.

With the saints rest, O Christ, the souls of your sleeping servants, where there is no pain, no sorrow, no sighing, but life without end! Amen!”.