Christian observance of Passover

Christian observance of Passover is in modern times referred to as Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday and is held the day before Good Friday. Sometimes a shortened Seder meal is practiced. Many churches do a washing of the feet of the congregation on this day in recognition of Jesus washing the apostles feet at the last supper. (John 13:5–14)[oremus Bible Browser : John 13:5–14] It marks the end of the Lenten season.

There are a few Christian groups that still celebrate the Jewish Passover - which is specifically regarding the Passover of the Angel of Death. Some of these groups are Assemblies of Yahweh, Messianic Jews, and some congregations of the Church of God (Seventh Day). The third in this list should not be confused with the Seventh Day Adventist church. The redemption from the bondage of sin through the sacrifice of Christ is celebrated, a parallel of the Jewish Passover's celebration of redemption from bondage in the land of Egypt.

The Jewish Passover ceremonies are held on the evening corresponding to 14 Nisan or 15 Nisan, depending whether the particular church uses a quartodeciman or quintodeciman application. In other cases, the holiday is observed according to the Hebrew calendar on 15 Nisan.

Celebrations

Many Adventist, Sabbatarian Churches of God, Messianic Jews, Jehovah's Witnesses (who call it the 'Memorial of Christ's Death') and other groups observe a Christian Passover version of the Jewish Passover — although all do not agree on the date or the related practices.

Among those Christians who observe the Jewish Passover there are some differences in how it is done. Some Christians celebrate Passover by eating lamb, bitter herbs, and unleavened matzo. Others follow the instructions that Jesus gave to his disciples at the Last Supper before he was crucified, and share bread (usually unleavened) and wine instead of roasted lamb. In some traditions, the ceremony is combined with washing one another's feet, as Jesus did for his disciples the night that he suffered (John 13:5–14).

Saint Thomas Christians (Nazranis) in the Malabar coast of India (Kerala) have a customary celebration of Pesaha (Passover) at their homes. On the evening before Good Friday (called Pesaha Vyazham or Pesaha Thursday) the Pesaha bread (also called Pesaha appam) is made at home. It is made with unleavened flour mixed with certain herbs and condiments and they use a sweet thick drink made up of coconut milk and jaggery along with this bread (can be compared to charoset of the Jewish seder). On the Pesaha night the bread is baked or steamed in a new vessel, immediately after the flour is mixed with water and pierced many times with handle of the spoon to let out the steam so that the bread will not rise (this custom is called juthante kannu kuthal in the Malayalam language. This bread is cut by the head of the family and shared among the family members after scripture reading from the Book of Exodus narrating the Passover incidence, and prayers, by traditionally dipping it in the charoset-like drink, used along with the Pesaha bread. The Pesaha bread, especially the first baked bread of the lot, is not shared with non-Nazranis. If the family is in mourning following a death, Pesaha bread is not made at their home, but some Syrian Christian neighbours share their bread with them. The Pesaha tradition may have its origin in their likely Jewish ancestry since they are Christians whose roots can be traced back to the first century AD apostolic missions in Persia and India.

Date

Catholics, Baptists, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Methodists and other Christian groups celebrate Passover on the Thursday before Easter, known as Maundy Thursday, Holy Thursday, or the Last Supper observance. When it occurs is tied to the date of Easter which varies. In 325 AD/CE the Council of Nicea adopted the following formula for determining the date of Easter each year: Easter is the Sunday after the paschal full moon. This is the first full moon on or after the spring equinox, March 21. So, Easter occurs between March 22 and April 25. These dates vary among Hebrew, Gregorian, and Julian calendars, and they vary between Western (e.g. Roman Catholic) and Eastern Orthodox (e.g. Greek Orthodox) traditions.

Controversy

Apollinaris wrote:

There are, then, some who through ignorance raise disputes about these things (though their conduct is pardonable: for ignorance is no subject for blame — it rather needs further instruction), and say that on the fourteenth day the Lord ate the lamb with the disciples, and that on the great day of the feast of unleavened bread He Himself suffered; and they quote Matthew as speaking in accordance with their view. Wherefore their opinion is contrary to the law, and the Gospels seem to be at variance with them. … The fourteenth day, the true Passover of the Lord; the great sacrifice, the Son of God instead of the lamb, who was bound, who bound the strong, and who was judged, though Judge of living and dead, and who was delivered into the hands of sinners to be crucified, who was lifted up on the horns of the unicorn, and who was pierced in His holy side, who poured forth from His side the two purifying elements, water and blood, word and spirit, and who was buried on the day of the Passover, the stone being placed upon the tomb

See also

• Christian observances of Jewish holidays
• Christian views on the Old Covenant
• Lord's Day
• Radical reformation
• Sabbatarianism

Further reading

• Edward Chumney. The Seven Festivals of the Messiah. Treasure House, 1994. ISBN 1-56043-767-7
• Howard, Kevin. The Feasts Of The Lord God's Prophetic Calendar From Calvary To The Kingdom. Nelson Books, 1997. ISBN 0-7852-7518-5
• Rosen, Ceil; Rosen, Moishe (1978). Christ in the Passover: Why is This Night Different. Moody Publishers. ISBN 0-8024-1392-7.