Holy Thursday
Checklist for Preparation for Holy Thursday
Ministers
Selected
Lector 1:
Thurifer:
Lector 2:
Cross bearer:
EME 1:
Candle bearer 1:
EME 2:
Candle bearer 2:
EME 3:
Altar Server 1:
EME 4:
Altar Server 2:
EME 5:
Cantor:
People’s
feet to be
washed
People to
carry the
gifts and
oils
Decoration Who is Responsible:
Decoration Done: Yes 
No 
of Place of
Resposition
Procession Order
Introductory Rites
Use Incense:
Yes 
No 
Book of the Gospels
For Entrance Song,
thurifer, cross bearer,
Carried in:
Yes 
No 
and Gloria write in
candle bear 1 & 2,
Book of the Gospels
choice of song.
other ministers,
Pre-placed:
Yes 
No 
minister carrying Book
Entrance Song:
If the Sprinkling Rite
of the Gospels, Presider
is chosen then the
Yes 
No 
Penitential Rite is not Incense Altar:
adjust according to
Gloria:
used.
decisions made
Holy Thursday
1
Liturgy of the Word
Mandatum
Gospel Procession:
Use Incense:
Use Candle Bearers:
Readings given to Lector:
Petitions written for
Prayer of the Faithful:
Number of people: ______
Yes 
Yes 
Yes 
Yes 
No 
No 
No 
No 
Yes 
No 
People selected
Yes  No 
Have chairs:
Yes  No 
Plan prepared for setup:
Yes  No 
Plan prepared for breakdown: Yes  No 
Liturgy of the
Reception of Holy Oils:
Yes  No 
Eucharist
Gift procession have people:
Yes  No 
Gift procession use cross:
Yes  No 
For Preparation Song,
Gift process use candles:
Yes  No 
Sanctus,
Preparation Song:
Acclamation, Great
Amen write in choice Use Incense:
Yes  No 
of Mass.
Incense Gifts and Altar:
Yes  No 
Incense People:
Yes  No 
If receiving oils have
Eucharistic Prayer:
one person for each
Incense during Eucharistic Prayer:
Yes 
oil
Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy):
Gospel Procession
Thurifer, candle bearer
1 & 2, deacon/priest
Adjust according to
decisions made
It is important to plan
this well in order that it
run as smoothly and
efficiently as possible.
No 
Memorial Acclamation:
Great Amen:
Communion Rite
For Lamb of God and
Communion Song
write in choice of
song or Mass.
Transfer of the
Holy Eucharist
Other Issues
Holy Thursday
Our Father (Sung):
Lamb of God:
Yes 
No 
Communion Song:
Route Selected for procession: Yes 
Doors and lights assigned:
Yes 
Song for Procession:
No 
No 
Yes 
Yes 
No 
No 
Program Prepared:
Yes 
Place of Reservation prepared: Yes 
Altar Stripped
Yes 
No 
No 
No 
Place of Reposition prepared:
Use Program for Mass:
Program Prepared by:
2
Incense is used in the
procession to place of
reposition
Holy Thursday
Day of Service Preparation
Done
On the credence table:
1. Normal Mass chalice
2. ____ other chalices
3. Corporal
4. _____ purificators
5. Bowl for hand washing
6. Hand towel
For the Mandatum:
1. Pitcher, filled with water.
2. Large bowl
3. ____ towels
4. apron
These things need to be set up on the gift table in the back of the church:
1. hosts (enough for Thursday and two Friday services.)
2. paten
3. large glass pitcher with wine
4. big ciborium (included in #1)
5. Sacred Oils (if being brought forward)
_____ Chairs needed and placed.
These things need to be set out in the altar server vesting room:
1. Processional cross
2. four small processional candles
3. Thurible and incense
4. matches
5. Extra charcoal
These things need to be set out in the sacristy:
1. Humeral veil
2. charcoal
3. matches
The sacramentary gets put out in its normal place.
Book of the Gospels placed
Holy Thursday
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Introductory Rites
Order of the procession:
1. Thurible and incense (__________)
2. Cross (__________)
3. Two small processional candles (__________) (__________)
4. mc’s and remaining servers line up by twos
5. readers follow
Just before the procession begins, the priest puts incense in the thurible.
All servers go to their places except the thurifer. Candle bearers will place candles
(________________________________)
After the celebrant kisses the altar the thurifer brings the thurible to the priest. The
celebrant will incense the altar. As soon as the incense person gets it back, bring it to the
sacristy.
While the incensation is going on, we continue the opening hymn.
The book bearer (___________) gets the book ready for the opening prayer.
Liturgy of the Word
Then all listen to the first reading, psalm, second reading
Gospel Procession
The thurifer (____________) will get the thurible and incense boat and waits at the door.
When the gospel acclamation is started the thurifer will go out to the celebrant at the
chair. The candle bearers will get the candles and stand on either side of the book of the
gospels on the altar. The thurifer will hand the boat to the priest and hold up the thurible.
The priest will then place in the incense and bless it. The thurifer will then go next to the
candle bearer nearest the sacristy and when the priest picks up the book of the Gospels
the thurifer the two candle bearers followed by the priest process to the ambo.
The candle bearers will stand one on each side of the ambo facing towards each other.
The thurifer will stand behind the ambo. The priest after saying the gospel according…
will take the thurible to incense the gospel and then hand it back. After the gospel is
proclaimed the thurifer returns to the sacristy and candle bearers return candles to their
place. The coals are dumped and new ones lit.
Then comes the homily. As soon as the homily is done, we have the washing of feet.
Holy Thursday
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WASHING OF FEET
The priest goes to get the Mandatum things and removes his shoes and chasuble – giving
it to (______________) who places it carefully on the priest’s chair. Priest dons apron .
Meanwhile those whose feet will be washed go to the places prepared and sit, removing
at least one shoe and sock.
Priest places a towel over one arm and carries the bowl with that hand. He takes the
pitcher in the other hand and kneels in front of the first server to be washed. He washes
the foot, takes the towel and dries the foot, leaving the towel with the person in case it is
needed further.
The priest takes the bowl and pitcher and rises and goes to the next person kneels and
washes.
The first person/server immediately upon having feet washed, gets up to help serve by
picking up a few towels and brings them to the priest, who is now kneeling at the second
person. The server follows along, handing a towel to the priest each time.
Second person immediately upon having his or her feet washed, gets up to help serve by
picking up first wet towel and his/her own and follows picking up wet used towels.
Third, as above brings group of 3 or 4 towels to first server who is helping priest
Fourth collects wet towels from the second and brings them to the sacristy.
When last foot is washed, priest returns bowl and pitcher to its place, dries his hands and
(______________) brings chasuble and helps the priest on with it. Watch microphone!
After the feet have been washed we pray the prayers of the faithful. While this is
happening, two processional candle bearers (__________) (__________) and mc
(___________) go to the back of the church, via the side aisle, for the gift procession.
Will use candles in the vesting room.
Holy Thursday
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Liturgy of the Eucharist
Preparation of the Gifts
The gift procession goes:
1. MC
2. Processional candles
3. Persons carrying the oils (if being done)
4. Persons carrying the gifts
Procession begins when priest come down to receive the gifts.
When the procession reaches the sanctuary, candles go to either side of the main aisle and
face in.
Oils are received with appropriate rite being used. Book bearer (__________) holds book for
priest. (if oils are received)
As soon as the procession begins, the book bearer (__________) prepares the altar.
The celebrant goes down to receive the gifts with two servers (__________) (__________).
Candle bearers then place candles next to the altar on either side.
The thurifer (____________) goes and gets the thurible and the incense boat and after the
priest bows brings them to the priest. The priest will place incense into the thurible and then
incense the altar and gifts and then hand the thurible back to the thurifer who will then
incense the priest and then the congregation. The thurifer will then stand on the tabernacle
side.
Eucharistic Prayer
At the Holy, Holy, Holy the mc (___________) places incense into the thurible and the
thurifer will go and kneel on the tabernacle side of the altar. When the priest raises the Body
of Christ the thurifer will bow, raise the thurible three times and bow again. And do the
same thing when the cup with the precious blood is raised.
Communion Rite
At the sign of peace the thurifer will go and dump the coals and light new ones.
During the Lamb of God, the servers (__________) (__________) bring the extra ciboria.
After all of the servers have received communion, servers should go back to where they were
sitting. Book bearer (___________) removes book.
After communion (____________) and (___________) help with any clean up of altar.
A priest will consolidate the Blessed Sacrament into the one big ciborium.
After communion is all done, the Thurifer (__________) goes to the sacristy and returns with
thurible and boat.
After communion is over, one server (__________) goes to the sacristy and gets the humeral
veil. Cross bearer gets cross stands in the center aisle facing the altar.
All stand for the prayer after communion.
Holy Thursday
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Transfer of the Holy Eucharist
When the prayer after communion is over, everyone comes out and kneels before the
altar. The thurifer (__________) comes and kneels near the celebrant. The processional
candle bearers (__________) (__________) kneel. The server who has the humeral veil
(__________) kneels near the celebrant.
The priest and thurifer stand and put incense into the thurible. They kneel.
The thurifer gives the incense to the celebrant. The celebrant then bows incenses the
Blessed Sacrament and bows again.
After celebrant incenses the Blessed Sacrament he receives the humeral veil from
(_________), goes to the altar, genuflects, and picks up the Blessed Sacrament covering
it with the veil.
All servers and ministers stand at the same time as the priest.
Candle bearers (_____________) (_____________) take two candles from opening
procession and join cross bearer.
Two servers (____________) (______________) take two candles from gift procession
and stand at either side of priest. Thurifer stands and moves to center.
Priest followed by candles come to sanctuary steps (top) facing congregation. Cross and
two candles turn and lead procession out main aisle, followed by MCs, choir members
and the congregation starting from the first row
Thurifer has also turned and stays right in front of priest with the sacrament. They move
bench by bench as the congregation process out and in front of them.
PROCESSION TO PLACE OF RESPOSITION
Process to the back and out the door the two masters of ceremonies will be in front of the
line. (____________) will take people to the left; and (_____________) will take people
to the right and into the doors into Fr. Mara Hall.
When we get to the altar for adoration, four candles are arranged on or around the altar;
everyone kneels. The celebrant brings the Blessed Sacrament to altar, places it,
genuflects, and then removes the humeral veil and gives it to (______________).
Celebrant stands at the center, thurifer comes and the thurible is prepared. The priest and
the thurifer then kneel. After the celebrant has knelt down, the thurifer gives him the
incense and he bows, incenses the Blessed Sacrament and bows again.
Now all kneel in silence and wait for the celebrant. After the celebrant leaves the rest will leave
in a staggered time.
Altar is stripped at this time.
Holy Thursday
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