Maundy Thursday
Jesus understands his time on Earth is nearly over. He gathers his friends and followers (his 12 Disciples, including figures such as the saints John, Matthew, Mark and Simon - the men who went on to describe their experiences with Jesus in the four gospels, which feature in the New Testamentthe Bible) together to share a final meal with them - the 'Last Supper'. According to the gospels, Jesus passed round bread (which he told his disciples was 'his body') and wine (his 'blood'); his way of explaining to them that he would soon die. He also told his friends they should love one another - the 'mandate' or command from which the term Maundy is derived. It was on this night that Jesus was later betrayed by Judas. Judas identified Jesus to soldiers working for opposing religious authorities (the 'High Priests') in return for a bag of money - those authorities then passed Jesus over to the Roman soldiers who were to eventually execute him.
The ceremony of eating bread and drinking wine in remembrance of Jesus' life is practiced today in Christian churches in the form of the Eucharist or communion.