After the prayer behind the ambo, the Priest comes out, changed as he is, with lights and incense, outside the main doors of the church, the basin for the Washing having been got ready by the Ecclesiarch. Twelve brethren having been appointed who are to be washed by the Superior, among whom must be included the Porter and the Bursar, we assemble with the Priest, singing Psalm 50. When this is over we sing the 5th Ode of the Canon of Great Thursday.

Ode 5. Irmos

‘Bound with the bond of love, the Apostles offered themselves to Christ the Master of all things; when their beautiful feet had been washed clean they bring good tidings of peace to all.’

Troparia

The Wisdom of God that restrains the ungovernable upper water in the air, bridles the deeps and holds back the sea, pours water in a basin; the Master washes the feet of servants.

The Master shows his Disciples a model of humility; he who wraps the sky in clouds girds himself with a towel and bends the knee to wash the feet of servants; in his hand is the breath of all that is.

Then are sung the Idiomels of the Washing. Tone 1.

As you girded yourself with a towel and washed your Disciples’ feet, washing away the filth from our souls and gird us round with a spiritual bond, to do your commands and sing the praise of your goodness.

Tone 2.

About to enjoy a great grace, let us the faithful devoutly run together to the honoured Washing, not washing away the stain of the flesh, but spiritually sanctifying our souls; for Christ our Saviour, who looks upon the earth and makes and makes it tremble, bows himself down and touches feet of clay, granting safe walking upon every hostile power. To him let us cry aloud with thanksgiving: As you showed us the best road to exaltation, humility, save us, good Lord, as you love humankind.

Same Tone.

Peter was loathe for his feet to be washed by the spotless hands by which Adam had been fashioned. But when he heard, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no part with me’, seized with great fear, he cried to you, O Lord, ‘Do not wash only my feet, but also my hands and my head’. O how great are the Master’s gifts! He makes his own Disciples sharers in grace and promises that to have a part with them in ineffable glory, as he also said over the mystic cup, that he would drink it new with them in the Kingdom of heaven. Make us worthy of it too, as you are merciful and love humankind.

Tone 8.

Today the one who is by nature unapproachable took up the work of a slave. He who wraps the heavens with clouds, girded himself with a towel. He who divided the Red Sea, poured water for a washing; and bending his knees, he began to wash the feet of the Disciples and to dry them with the towel with which he had been girded. Then, having washed the Disciples’ feet, he said to them, ‘You are clean, but not all’, meaning the one who was betraying him.

Then the Litany by the Deacon.

In peace, let us pray to the Lord.

For the peace from on high and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.

For the peace of the whole world, for the welfare of the holy Churches of God, and for the union of all, let us pray to the Lord.

For this holy house, and for those who enter it with faith, reverence and the fear of God, let us pray to the Lord.

[For our Sovereign Lady, Queen Elizabeth, the Royal Family, her Government, and all in authority, let us pray to the Lord.]

For this holy monastery, for every monastery, city, town and village, and for the faithful who dwell in them, let us pray to the Lord.

For favourable weather, an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and temperate seasons, let us pray to the Lord.

For those who travel by land, air or water, for the sick, the suffering, for those in captivity, and for their safety and salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

For this Washing to be blessed and sanctified by the power and operation and visitation of the Holy Spirit, let us pray to the Lord.

For it to become a source of cleansing of the stain of our offences, let us pray to the Lord.

For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger and constraint, let us pray to the Lord.

Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O God, by your grace.

Commemorating our all-holy, pure, most blessed and glorious Lady, Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us entrust ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.

Ekphonesis by the Priest

For you are cleansing of our souls, and to you we give glory, together with your Father who has no beginning, and your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and for ever, and to the ages of ages.

For to you belong all glory, honour and worship, with your Father who has no beginning and your all-holy Spirit, now and for ever, and to the ages of ages.

The Priest prays in a low voice.

Lord our God, who showed us the measure of humility by your own most exalted condescension, and declared the last in place to be first, grant us grace in the service of one another; exalt us by godlike humility; preserve us unstained, ever washed by tears and cleansed by the enlightenment of your cleansing grace; so that, ever falling down before you sincerely, we may find mercy and compassion at your dread Judgement Seat.

At that time, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he had come forth from God and was going back to God, rises from supper and lays aside his outer garments; and taking a towel he ties it round his waist. Then he puts water in the basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and wipe them with the towel which was tied round his waist. He comes to Simon Peter, who says to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will understand later.’ Peter says to him, ‘You shall never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no part in me.’ Peter says to him, ‘Lord, not only my feet, but my hands and my head also.’ Jesus says to him, ‘One who has washed has no need except to wash their feet, but they are wholly clean. And you are clean, but not all of you.’ For he knew the one who would betray him; that is why he said, ‘You are not all clean.’

After the completion of the Gospel, the Superior removes the apron and puts on the mandyas. Standing in his place, the Priest exclaims,

And that he would count us worthy to listen to the holy Gospel, let us pray to the Lord God.

At that time, when Jesus had washed the feet of his Disciples, he put on his outer garments, sat down again and said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call me "Teacher" and "Lord", and you do well, for I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you too should wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that as I have done to you, you should do also. Amen, amen, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his lord, nor one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know all this, blessed are you, if you do it.’

After the Gospel, the Priest says this prayer.

Let us pray to the Lord.

Lord our God, who in accordance with your great mercy emptied yourself, took the form of a slave, and at the moment of your saving, life-giving and voluntary Passion were pleased to sup with your holy Disciples and Apostles, and after this to gird yourself with a towel and wash the feet of your holy Disciples, giving them an example of humility and love for one another, and saying, ‘As I have done to you, so do likewise yourselves to one another, do you yourself, Master, being in the midst of your unworthy servants, who have followed your example, now wipe away too every spot and stain from our souls, so that we, having washed away the dust that was sticking to us from our offences, and having dried it with the towel of love, we may be able to be well-pleasing to you all the days of our life, and to find grace before you.

Aloud

For you are one who sanctifies and blesses all things, Christ our God, and to you we give glory, together with your Father who has no beginning and your all-holy Spirit, now and for ever, and to the ages of ages.

And all anoint their hands and faces with the water from the washing. Then we re-enter the Church, singing the following Troparia in Tone 6.

When their feet had been washed and they had been cleansed by participation in the divine Mystery, your servants, O Christ, went with you from Sion up to the great Mount of Olives, singing your praises, Lover of humankind.

See, my friends, you said, do not be afraid, for now the hour is near for me to be taken and to be slain by the hands of transgressors; while you will all be scattered and leave me; whom I shall gather to me, the Lover of humankind.

Then the Antidoron is given out and the Dismissal follows. As we enter the Refectory we sing Psalm 144 and partake of wine only. Compline we sing in our cells.