Queen Elizabeth II distributed 2010 Maundy money last Thursday in a long-standing Holy Week tradition. Accompanied by her husband Prince Philip, she handed out specially minted silver coins to recognize the work of elderly church and community volunteers at Derby Cathedral in central England. This ceremony of the Queen presented pensioners with Maundy money in Derby, believed to be the 800th anniversary of the Easter ceremony. She wore a duck-egg blue jacket and hat at the service at Derby Cathedral alongside the Duke of Edinburgh.
Photo by BBC: Queen Elizabeth arrived with her husband Prince Philip."It's quite an honor and it was a surprise as well," said 91-year-old Bill Attenborough. He was a Royal Air Force photographer who took the queen's picture in 1953, the year of her coronation.
"I have never met the queen, but I have photographed her, so today brings back a lot of memories."
This coin is more valuable than their face value because of the source of the coins, the honor of receiving them from the Queen herself. In all, 168 people, 84 men and 84 women, were given red and white coin purses containing the coins. The number of recipients is related to the monarch's age; the queen turns 84 on April 21. The recipients were all pensioners recommended by the clergy in recognition of service to the church and the community. Buckingham Palace says the tradition of the monarch handing out money to subjects dates to the 13th century. "Maundy" comes from the word "mandatum," Christ's commandment to love one another. The tradition of royalty washing the feet of the poor ended in the 17th century, but the queen has given out "Maundy money" most years of her reign.
Photo by BBC: The Queen presented pensioners with Maundy money purses.Maundy coin facts:
- The first recorded Royal Maundy celebration was in Knaresborough on 15 April 1210 by King John.
- Royal Maundy has its origin in the commandment Christ gave after washing the feet of his disciples on the day before Good Friday 'that ye love one another'.
- The word 'Maundy' comes from the Latin word for commandment, mandatum.
- The number of recipients relates to the Sovereign's age - so this year 84 men and 84 women will receive the gift.
- Maundy coins are struck in sterling silver.
- Maundy coins still bear the same portrait of Her Majesty prepared for the first coins issued in the year of her coronation, 1953.
- This is the first time the Queen has handed out Maundy Money in Derby.
Britain Monarchs have given money to their subjects on Maundy Thursday since the 13th Century, although the tradition of them washing the recipients' feet ended centuries ago. The coins have traditionally been stuck in sterling and are legal tender. They were changed from old currency to new following decimalisation in 1971. At the ceremony the Queen hands two small leather string purses to each recipient. The money in the red purse is money in lieu of food and clothing while the money in the white purse is as much in pence as the Queen's age.
Source: BBC News, Associated Press, Wikipedia.
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