Maundy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter. On this day, Christians recall Jesus’ final Passover meal—which we now call the Lord’s Supper—at which he washed the feet of His disciples, demonstrating his humility to value others above himself. He then commanded them to do the same for each other. “Maundy” is a shortened form of mandatum (Latin), which means “command.” It was on the next day, Good Friday, that Jesus was crucified. Today is also a holy day for those who serve as clergy for they often renew their ordination vows, recommitting themselves to service.
Daily Calendar for Thursday, April 17, 2025
Born
- Samuel Chase (lawyer) –
- John Pierpont Morgan (business tycoon) –
- Thornton Wilder (author) –
- William Holden (actor) –
- Olivia Hussey (actress) –
- Boomer Esiason (football player) –
- Joel Murray (actor) –
- Jennifer Garner (actress) –
Died
- Benjamin Franklin (U.S. statesman ) –
- Linda McCartney (photographer, singer, activist, & wife of Beatle Paul McCartney) –
- Dr. Robert C. Atkins (cardiologist who introduced the Atkins Diet”“) –
- Doris Roberts (actress) –
- Barbara Bush (U.S. First Lady) –
Events
- Christopher Columbus’s trip financed by Spain–
- Lewis M. Norton patented a vat for forming pineapple-shape cheese–
- First Minot’s Ledge Light in Massachusetts swept away during storm–
- Song Hail, Hail, the Gang’s All Here, was copyrighted–
- Geraldine Mock completed solo flight around the world–
- Apollo 13 returned safely to Earth after having major difficulties–
- 6-lb. 10-oz. goldfish caught in Lake Hodges, California–
- Spacelab’s final mission, Neurolab, launched–
- Discovery of first Earth-size planet in Habitable Zone” publicized”–
Weather
- Eastern Massachusetts was blanketed with 12-18 inches of snow–
- Twenty-eight degrees F at St. Louis, Missouri–
- The Red River in Minnesota and North Dakota reached 20 feet above flood stage–
- Eastern U.S. heat wave: 80 degrees F, Portland, Maine; 97 degrees F, Newark, New Jersey –
- Del Rio, Texas, experienced a temperature of 101 degrees F–