Maundy Thursday

Almighty Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he suffered, instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood: Mercifully grant that we may receive it thankfully in remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord, who in these holy mysteries gives us a pledge of eternal life; and who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

( Collect of Maundy Thursday following BCP)

Paschal Triduum in the monastic tradition

Each day we will add two links to the website of the American branch of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist , the oldest Anglican monastic community.

Here you can find a brief introduction of the atmosphere of the day as it is lived in the Monastery.

And here a sermon for the Maundy Thursday by one of the monks.

And in the end a duo from the Matthäus-Passion by J.S. Bach ‘So ist mein Jesus nun gefangen’, here performed by – a thing rarely done these days – treble and countertenor singers.

And, once again, the famous chorus ending of this fragment of the „Passion” – this time performed by the ”Thomaner” – the Choir of St Thomas Church in Leipzig that was once conducted by Johann Sebastian Bach himself.

Aria a doi Cori

So ist mein Jesus nun gefangen.
Laßt ihn! haltet! bindet nicht!
Mond und Licht
Ist vor Schmerzen untergangen,
Weil mein Jesus ist gefangen.
Laßt ihn! haltet! bindet nicht!
Sie führen ihn, er ist gebunden.





Chorus I & II

Sind Blitze, sind Donner in Wolken verschwunden?

Eröffne den feurigen Abgrund, o Hölle;
Zertrümmre, verderbe, verschlinge, zerschelle
Mit plötzlicher Wut
Den falschen Verräter, das mördrische Blut!

Aria a doi Cori

Thus my Jesus is now captured.
– Leave Him, stop, don’t bind Him! –
Moon and light
for sorrow have set,
since my Jesus is captured.
They take Him away, He is bound.

Chorus I & II – Are lightning and thunder
extinguished in the clouds?
Open the fiery abyss, o Hell,
crush, destroy, devour, smash
with sudden rage
the false betrayer, the murderous blood! –


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