HOLY THURSDAY-MEMORY OF THE LAST SUPPER

Orthodox believers celebrate Holy Thursday as the memory of The Last Supper of Jesus and his disciples. This is one of the most significant days during the Great week when he founded the Holy Sacrament of Communion, the most sacred mystery of the Eucharist.
According to records from the Gospel, on the Last Supper Christ blessed the bread and divided it to the apostles, saying: "This is my body which is broken for you for remission of sins."
Then he took a cup of wine and said: "Drink from these glasses, this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you and for many, for release of sins".
Christ's words are repeated in the Holy Thursday liturgy at a communion of believers, modeled on the First Communion of Christ and his apostles.

In the liturgy, believers communion with bread or wafer, the body of Christ and the wine, which is a symbol of the blood spilled for the salvation of the human race.

The celebration in all churches of Macedonian Orthodox Church begins with the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, which is used ten times a year, on all major Orthodox holidays.

The people believe that even the sins of the greatest sinners that Communion on this day are forgiven.

Completion of the liturgy is ceases with ringing, hitting the wooden board, all the way to the burial of Christ. After the liturgy is allowed to eat food with oil and to drink some wine.

Great or the Holy or Easter lent lasts six weeks, and those who abide by the rules of fasting, the first and last week don't eat even fish, but other lean dishes, prepared on water, without oil.

Easter eggs are painted and decorated on Maundy Thursday. The first egg is painted before sunrise, because it is believed that it won't spoil and that it will last all year if it doesn't "see" the sun. Housewives dye three eggs in red in the morning.
With the first egg the housewife draws a cross for health on the face of the children with the words "Red, white, thick" or "Red, white, healthy and alive." That egg is considered to have protective powers and it is kept in a special place in the house until the next Easter.
The number of painted eggs depends on the number of family members, but eggs are painted and for every guest who will come to the house.
Why first eggs should be red?
The red color symbolizes the shed blood of Jesus for salvation of people on Earth and also represents victory, health, optimism and love.
There are many legends that explain the meaning of the red egg and why it has the greatest power. According to one of them, when Mary Magdalene saw Jesus after his resurrection, she carried basket with eggs to give to the other women. The moment she saw Jesus, eggs were painted in perfect red color.