Liturgy of Maundy Thursday, foot-washing and watch

for 4 hours
St Bartholomew the Great
West Smithfield City of London, EC1A 9DS, United Kingdom

The service marks three of the major events of the Passion: Christ’s institution of the Eucharist, his washing of his disciple’s feet, and his agony in the garden while the disciples slept. During the Eucharist we sit with the disciples as feet are washed, as we obey Christ’s instructions at the Last Supper to ‘do this in remembrance’ of him, and we watch with the Blessed Sacrament in the Lady Chapel as the disciples watched with the Lord. The church is stripped of its beauty and prepared for the sparseness of Good Friday.

Prelude: Le banquet céleste – Messiaen
Mass Setting: Missa brevis – Walton
During the foot washing: Wash me throughly – Wesley
Offertory Motet: Ubi caritas et amor – Gjeilo
Communion Motet: Mother of God, here I stand – Tavener
Communion Motet: Drop, drop slow tears – Walton

More info Join online

St Bartholomew the Great

London's oldest parish church, with an excellent liturgy, a professional choir, and a vibrant congregation drawn from across London. Join us in person or online!

At the heart of the Smithfield area, with its Hospital, pubs, restaurants, and market, is a church built when Henry I, son of William the Conqueror, was King of England. It survived the Great Fire of 1666 and the bombs dropped in Zeppelin raids in World War I and during the Blitz in World War II.

Today the Church has a reputation not only for wonderful Romanesque architecture, but also for traditional formal worship, marvellous music and intelligent preaching. It has also appeared in a series of award-winning films including Four Weddings and a Funeral, Shakespeare in Love, The End of the Affair, Amazing Grace, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, and The Other Boleyn Girl. It has also appeared in a number of television programmes including Madame Bovary, The Real Sherlock Holmes, Spooks, and The League of Gentlemen Christmas Special.

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Get in touch

Marcus Walker

Great St Bartholomew Parish Office
Church House
Cloth Fair
London

EC1A 7JQ
Rector
+44 (0)20 7600 0440

Our website

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Liturgy of Maundy Thursday, foot-washing and watch

for 4 hours
St Bartholomew the Great
West Smithfield City of London, EC1A 9DS, United Kingdom

The service marks three of the major events of the Passion: Christ’s institution of the Eucharist, his washing of his disciple’s feet, and his agony in the garden while the disciples slept. During the Eucharist we sit with the disciples as feet are washed, as we obey Christ’s instructions at the Last Supper to ‘do this in remembrance’ of him, and we watch with the Blessed Sacrament in the Lady Chapel as the disciples watched with the Lord. The church is stripped of its beauty and prepared for the sparseness of Good Friday.

Prelude: Le banquet céleste – Messiaen
Mass Setting: Missa brevis – Walton
During the foot washing: Wash me throughly – Wesley
Offertory Motet: Ubi caritas et amor – Gjeilo
Communion Motet: Mother of God, here I stand – Tavener
Communion Motet: Drop, drop slow tears – Walton

More info Join online

Safeguarding

The parish of Great St Bartholomew is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Parish Safeguarding Officer(s), PSOs. The Diocese of London’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) who advise our PSOs. If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the DSA. If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority Children or Adults Services.

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St Bartholomew the Great Charity No. 1163024