Postal delivery of Royal Maundy

Brenda Baxendale, Joan Sears, John Freeman and Vincent Whitehead are this year's diocesan Maundy Recipients. 

Her Majesty has written to those she would have presented with symbolic coins during the annual Royal Maundy service, but who instead have received the gift by post after the event was cancelled for the second year running due to coronavirus restrictions.

Her Majesty wrote: “I am delighted to send you the Maundy gift which I hope you will accept as an expression of my personal thanks to you for all that you have done to enrich the life of your community.

“Each year, at the Royal Maundy Service, we have an opportunity to recognise, and give thanks for, work done by countless people for the wellbeing of their neighbours; work that has often been taken for granted or hidden.”

John Freeman described himself as a "happy" recipient of Royal Maundy which, he said, "came via my postman this morning rather than attending by a service at Westminster Abbey to receive it in person from Her Majesty."

The Royal Maundy ceremony dates back to 600AD, when church leaders would wash the feet of the poor on Maundy Thursday, just as Christ did to his disciples after the Last Supper.

Every year clergy of all denominations nominate retired pensioners who have supported the church and their local communities to receive Maundy Money.

For this year’s cancelled service, the Queen would have distributed Maundy money to 95 men and 95 women, ahead of her 95th birthday on April 21.

 

Page last updated: Thursday 1st April 2021 2:24 PM
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