Why Does King Charles III Hand Out Money Before Easter?

The history of Royal Maundy

King Charles III official Maundy money — The Royal Mint

Every Maundy Thursday, the Thursday before Easter, the British Monarch can be seen handing out specially minted coins to people after the Royal Maundy service which takes place at various cathedrals around the United Kingdom every year.

But why?

The ritual of the monarch giving out coins actually commemorates Jesus’ actions at the Last Supper when he washed his disciples’ feet, thus showing him to be but a humble servant to the people.

During the early medieval period, a church Maundy ceremony had began to develop, which involved priests performing pedilavium — washing the feet of the poor. The name Maundy comes from the command, or in latin, the mandatum that Jesus gave to his disciples during the Last Supper.

Jesus carrying out pedilavium — Ford Madox Brown , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

By the 13th century it began to involve the King and the first one recorded as giving small gifts of coins, food, and clothing to the poor for Maundy purposes was John in 1210.

Throughout the medieval and early modern periods the ceremony grew to become something of a PR appearance for the monarch…