Maundy Thursday commemorates the events of the night before Christ's crucifixion: the Last Supper, the institution of the Eucharist, the washing of the disciples' feet, and the agony in Gethsemane. The name 'Maundy' derives from the Latin mandatum novum — 'a new commandment' — from John 13:34, spoken after Jesus washed his disciples' feet. The earliest evidence of a distinct liturgical observance on this day comes from the late fourth century. The pilgrim Egeria, writing around 384, describes elaborate Jerusalem services including an afternoon Eucharist at the Martyrium basilica and an evening station at the Imbomon (the traditional site of Jesus's teaching on the Mount of Olives), concluding with a nighttime procession to Gethsemane. By the time of the Apostolic Constitutions (c. 380), the day was established as a fast day. Augustine of Hippo (Ep. 54, to Januarius) attests that by around 400 the day was celebrated with both a morning and evening Eucharist — the evening celebration deliberately recalling the hour of the Last Supper. The foot-washing ceremony (mandatum or pedilavium) became a standard Western liturgical practice by the early medieval period. The seventh-century Ordo Romanus documents the stripping of altars, and the Gelasian Sacramentary provides proper prayers for the day. The Eastern churches developed the day under the name 'Holy and Great Thursday,' with emphasis on both the Last Supper and the Passion beginning at Gethsemane.

The liturgical customs of Maundy Thursday are among the richest in the Christian year. The stripping of the altar after the evening Eucharist — removing cloths, candles, and ornaments to leave the sanctuary bare — dramatically enacts the desolation of Gethsemane and the abandonment of Christ by his disciples. This practice is attested from at least the seventh century (Ordo Romanus) and may be older. The washing of feet, whether performed by the presider on members of the congregation or as a mutual act, recovers the dominical command of John 13 and has been practiced in both East and West, though with varying emphasis — in England, the monarch's participation in the Royal Maundy is documented from the thirteenth century. The reservation of the Blessed Sacrament and the watch before the altar of repose recall Christ's words in Gethsemane: 'Could you not watch with me one hour?' (Matthew 26:40). The Tenebrae office — a service of progressive darkness in which candles are extinguished one by one — is historically associated with the Triduum evenings, and the BCP 2019 provides for it on this night. The evening marks the beginning of the Paschal Triduum — the three-day liturgy spanning Thursday evening through Easter Day that forms the single most important liturgical event of the Christian year. The collect focuses on the institution of the Eucharist specifically, grounding the day's devotion in sacramental theology: what was given on this night continues to be received at every celebration of the Lord's Supper.

Henry Budd was born around 1812 at Norway House, a Hudson's Bay Company post on Lake Winnipeg. His Cree name was Sakacewescam, and he was born into a Cree-speaking family at a time when European contact and the fur trade were transforming Indigenous communities across the continent.

Budd was among the first Indigenous children baptized by the Church Missionary Society missionaries who arrived in the region in the 1820s. He was educated at the CMS mission school and showed exceptional aptitude for learning. He became a schoolteacher and catechist, working among the Cree communities of the Saskatchewan River district, teaching reading, writing, and Christian doctrine.

In 1840, he was sent to The Pas (then called Devon Mission), where he established a mission that became one of the most successful in western Canada. For over a decade, he worked as a deacon and missionary, earning the respect of both his own people and the European clergy.

He was ordained deacon in 1850 and priest in 1853 by Bishop David Anderson of Rupert's Land — the first Indigenous person to be ordained in the western Canadian church. His ordination was a milestone, but Budd wore the distinction lightly. He continued his quiet work of teaching, translating, and pastoring.

Budd's most significant contribution was the development of Cree-language Christian materials. He translated portions of Scripture, prayers, and hymns into Cree syllabics — the writing system developed by James Evans — making the faith accessible to communities that had no English. He also served as a cultural bridge between Indigenous and European communities, navigating the complex dynamics of the fur trade and colonial expansion with integrity.

He spent his final years at Cumberland House, continuing his ministry until his death in 1875. His work laid the foundation for Indigenous Anglican Christianity in western Canada and demonstrated that the gospel could take root in Indigenous culture without requiring the destruction of that culture.

Henry Budd's legacy in Canadian Anglicanism is that of the pioneer Indigenous priest whose ministry demonstrated that Cree Christian faith could flourish through the Cree language and culture. His translation work — making Scripture and prayer accessible in syllabics — established a model of inculturation that influenced subsequent Indigenous ministry. The tradition acknowledges the complexity of his role as both a beneficiary of missionary education and a voice for Indigenous Christians. Modern Indigenous Anglican historiography has recovered Budd's significance as a figure of agency and cultural bridge-building in a period of colonial expansion. His ordination in 1853 became a watershed moment, proving that Indigenous clergy could lead their own communities. The tradition emphasizes his faithfulness and quiet dignity rather than dramatic gestures or miracles.