Bishop washes feet at Norwich Maundy Mass 

The Mass of the Lord’s Supper was celebrated by the Bishop of East Anglia the Rt Rev Peter Collins at St John’s Cathedral in Norwich on Maundy Thursday, March 28, where he ceremonially washed the feet of 12 parishioners.

In the presence of a congregation of over 400 people, Bishop Peter said in his homily: “At the Last Supper Jesus draws together the threads of his public ministry, his entire teaching and all his works, and unites it all to what is about to unfold.

“At the Last Supper, through the apostles, Jesus entrusts the holy eucharist to us.

“At the Last Supper, through the apostles, Jesus imparts the essence of his teaching to us.

“At the Last Supper Jesus showed us how perfect His love was when He began to wash His disciples’ feet.

“Jesus said to the apostles – at the moment you do not know what I am doing, but later you will understand. If I, the Lord and master, have washed your feet, you should wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example.

“We spend a lifetime struggling to understand, struggling to adopt this example.

“Here and now is the time for us to embrace the example.

“Here and now is the time for us to embrace the mission.

“Do this in remembrance of me – says the Lord,” said Bishop Peter.

After his homily, Bishop Peter knelt to wash, dry and kiss the feet of a dozen parishioners, following the example of Jesus, at the Last Supper.
After Holy Communion, the Bishop led a procession of the Most Blessed Sacrament to a tabernacle in the Sunken Chapel in the Cathedral where it remained, while being watched, until midnight, as a reminder of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Click here or see below for a picture gallery of the Mass. Pictures by Keith Morris.