Holy Thursday

Holy Thursday: see Ascension.

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Holy Thursday

Between April 30 and June 3; 40 days after Easter

Holy Thursday usually refers to Maundy Thursday, but in parts of rural England, it traditionally refers to Ascension Day, the day on which Jesus Christ ascended into heaven. The English custom of "well dressing," which may have had its roots in a pagan festival, became associated with Holy Thursday in 1615. There was a severe drought in Derbyshire that year and most of the wells and streams dried up. The only wells that still had water were at Tissington, where people came to get water for their livestock. From that time onward, a special thanksgiving service was held there on Ascension Day, and Tissington became known as "the village of holy wells."
The well-dressing ceremony developed into a full-fledged festival in the 19th century. After delivering his sermon, the priest leads a procession to the wells, which are nearly hidden by screens of fresh flowers fastened to wooden frames. There follows a simple ceremony at each well, asking God to bless and keep the waters pure.

CONTACTS:
Ashbourne Tourist Information Centre
13 Market Place
Ashbourne, Derbyshire DE6 1EU United Kingdom
44-13-3534-3666; fax: 44-13-3530-0638
www.ashbourne-town.com
Tissington Hall
Tissington
Ashbourne, DE6 1RA United Kingdom
44-13-3535-2200
www.tissington-hall.com

SOURCES:
BkDays-1864, vol. I, p. 595
DaysCustFaith-1957, p. 135
EncyEaster-2002, p. 13
SaintFestCh-1904, p. 231

Celebrated in: Colombia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru