"It's going to be rather exciting"

Gilps · April 13, 2006

Look I know pensioners are a bit poor, but it's only £6.30 she's giving you

Birthday Queen gives Maundy coins

The Queen is due to distribute Maundy Money to 160 pensioners in a service ahead of her 80th birthday next week.

She will give 80 men and 80 women two purses each at the Easter week ceremony at Guildford Cathedral, which she will attend with the Duke of Edinburgh.

The first contains 80p in Maundy coins, reflecting the Queen's age on her forthcoming birthday.

The second holds a £5 coin celebrating her birthday and a 50p coin marking 150 years of the Victoria Cross.

All the coins are newly minted this year.

The recipients are all retired pensioners recommended by clergy and ministers of all denominations in recognition of service to the Church and to the community.

The oldest recipient will be 94.

Among them will be Mary Boxall, who said she was delighted to be attending the event in the Queen's 80th year.

"People keep asking me what I'm going to do with the money ... I can't imagine wanting to spend it," the 72-year-old from nearby Chilworth said.

"It's going to be rather exciting," she added.

Mrs Boxall, who has been a Sunday school teacher, a girl guide leader and a pastoral assistant, was put forward for the ceremony by her local vicar.

Following the Royal Maundy service, the Queen and Prince Philip will attend a reception at the cathedral's Deanery.

They will then take a walkabout in Guildford High Street before having lunch in the town's Guildhall.

Washing feet

The Maundy service dates back centuries. Until the 18th Century the monarch would also wash the feet of the poor selected to receive the coins.

The ceremony's origin can be traced to the Last Supper when, as St John recorded, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples.

Afterwards, Jesus gave them a command or "mandatum" - the Latin word from which Maundy is derived - to love one another.

From about 600 AD it was noted by St Augustine that the ceremony involved the king, queen or their representative washing the feet of the poor.

The Queen is not expected to wash the pensioners' feet but nosegays or posies of strong-smelling flowers or herbs are still carried in the royal procession - a reminder of when the bad odour of the feet of the poor would need disguising.

The Queen has attended the service in person since 1971 and, by her own decision, it is now held in a different cathedral each year.

Edited April 13, 2006 by Gilps

Cobs · April 13, 2006

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