The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will attend the
Royal Maundy Service at Leicester Cathedral
Thursday 13th April 2017
Her Majesty The Queen, accompanied by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, will attend the Royal Maundy Service at Leicester Cathedral on Thursday 13th April 2017.
The Royal party will travel by car along Humberstone Gate, High Street and Jubilee Square before being met at the Cathedral by the Dean of Leicester, the Very Revd David Monteith, and the Bishop of Leicester, the Right Revd Martyn Snow. During the service, Her Majesty will distribute ceremonial Maundy money to 91 men and 91 women from the local community of senior citizens, in recognition of the service they have given to the church and to the local community. At the end of the service an official photograph will be taken of The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and the Royal Maundy party.
Following the service, The Queen and The Duke will attend a reception and community lunch at St Martins House.
Maundy Thursday is the Christian holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter. It commemorates the Maundy and Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles. The Queen commemorates Maundy by offering ‘alms’ to senior citizens – retired pensioners recommended by clergy and ministers of all denominations – in recognition of service to the church and to the local community.
The Queen is presented with a nosegay at the start of the Royal Maundy Service. During the service The Queen will distribute the Maundy money to 91 men and 91 women – one for each of The Queen’s 91 years. Each recipient receives two purses, one red and one white.
This year the Red Purse contains a £5 coin, commemorating the Centenary of the House of Windsor and a 50p coin commemorating Sir Isaac Newton. Both coins have been minted in 2017. Historically, this sum of £5.50 in the Red Purse is made up of £3 for clothing, £1.50 in lieu of provisions and £1 which represents a piece of the Sovereign’s gown which, before Tudor times, used to be divided between the Recipients.
The White Purse contains uniquely minted Maundy Money. This takes the form of one, two, three and four silver penny pieces, the sum of which equals the number of years of the Monarch’s age. This year ninety-one pennies of silver coins, which are legal tender, will be distributed.
Royal Maundy is one of the most ancient ceremonies retained in the Church of England.
On duty during the service is the Queen’s Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard in their full uniform. This is the oldest military body in the UK whose record dates back to 1485 and who still wear the Tudor crown ornament, which commemorates their original appointment.
More information about Royal Maundy is available at www.royal.uk/royal-maundy-service.
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