The history of Royal Distribution on Maundy Thursday can be traced back with certainty to the thirteenth century and the first recorded Royal Distribution was at Knaresborough, North Yorkshire by King John in 1210, five years before Magna Carta.
The distribution of alms and the washing of feet on the Thursday of Holy Week are of great antiquity and has taken place since the reign of King Edward I. The service derives from the Latin word “mandatum”, meaning a commandment, and the opening words of the Service are: ‘Jesus said: “I give you a new commandment: Love one another: As I have loved you, so you are to love one another.”
From the fifteenth century, the number of recipients has been related to the Sovereign’s age and, since the eighteenth century, they have numbered as many men and women as the Sovereign has years of age. Recipients are now pensioners selected because of the Christian service that they have rendered to the Church and the community.
I was nominated by the Bishop of Derby, Bishop Libby, along with a woman, to receive Royal Maundy at Worcester Cathedral, a great honour for us both and, in my case, for reasons that are not at all clear, because I have just been carrying out my role as Churchwarden at St Anne’s church, Ambergate, during long years of Interrregnum.
The Distribution is in two parts and the gifts which are handed to the recipients are symbolic: two leather purses are given, one red and the other white. They have been beautifully manufactured with leather thongs, which are tied together to form a single presentation package of the two purses.
The red purse contains a nominal allowance for clothing and provisions, formerly given in kind, and a payment for the redemption of the royal gown and consists of a crown (£5) with an image of a Tudor Dragon and, this year, a 50p celebrating 200 years of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
The white purse contains the Royal Maundy, a set of silver coins, in denominations of 1p, 2p, 3p and 4p, that amount to the age of the King this year, seventy-five years. Each individual pouch amounts to 10p and a separate pouch contains a 2p and a 3p to make the total up to 75p.
The Lord High Almoner, The Right Reverend Dr. John Inge, who is also the Bishop of Worcester, talked to us, the recipients as well as the rest of the congregation, about the service, its history and origins quoting the mandatum and setting the scene for the service. Then, the processions started and the whole service became, for me, highly emotional and overwhelming.
My sister, Past Master Deborah Knight accompanied me to the service at Worcester Cathedral.
When it came to the Distribution of the Royal Maundy, I was positioned on the South aisle at the rear of the main section, one set of rows forward of the West door. Queen Camilla came down the South aisle bestowing Royal Maundy on each recipient, positioned at the end of each row of pews.
Education
