Royal Maundy is a religious service in the Church of England held on
Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday. At the service, the
British Monarch or a royal official ceremoniously distributes small
silver coins known as "Maundy money" as symbolic alms to elderly
recipients. The name "Maundy" and the ceremony itself derive from an
instruction, or mandatum, of Jesus at the Last Supper that his
followers should love one another. In the Middle Ages, English monarchs
washed the feet of beggars in imitation of Jesus, and presented gifts
and money to the poor. Over time, additional money was substituted for
the clothing and other items that had once been distributed; the custom
of washing the feet did not survive the 18th century. Today, Queen
Elizabeth II (pictured at the 2005 service) almost always attends, and
the service is held in a different church (usually a cathedral) every
year. Maundy money is struck in denominations of one penny, two pence,
three pence, and four pence. In most years there are fewer than 2,000
complete sets; they are highly sought after by collectors.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Maundy>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
753 BC:
Romulus and Remus founded Rome, according to the calculations by Roman
scholar Varro Reatinus.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romulus_and_Remus>
1509:
Henry VIII became King of England, following the death of his father
Henry VII, eventually becoming a significant figure in the history of
the English monarchy.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_VIII_of_England>
1863:
After the Ottoman Empire exiled him from Baghdad, Bahá'u'lláh, the
founder of the Bahá'í Faith, began his twelve-day stay in the Garden of
Ridván where he declared his mission as "He whom God shall make
manifest".
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bah%C3%A1%27u%27ll%C3%A1h>
1960:
Brasília , a planned city primarily designed by architect and urban
planner Lúcio Costa, was officially inaugurated, replacing Rio de
Janeiro as the capital of Brazil.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bras%C3%ADlia>
1975:
Nguyễn Văn Thiệu resigned as President of South Vietnam, and was
replaced by Tran Van Huong, as communist forces closed in on victory.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nguy%E1%BB%85n_V%C4%83n_Thi%E1%BB%87u>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
prelapsarian (adj):
Pertaining to the world before the Fall of Adam and Eve
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/prelapsarian>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
We define religion as the assumption that life has meaning. Religion,
or lack of it, is shown not in some intellectual or verbal formulations
but in one's total orientation to life. Religion is whatever the
individual takes to be his ultimate concern. One's religious attitude
is to be found at that point where he has a conviction that there are
values in human existence worth living and dying for.
--Rollo May
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Rollo_May>