Maundy Thursday is a period of time that occurs during the Christian holy season of LENT. It is the Thursday before Easter and marks the beginning of the Easter Triduum, a three-day period of reflection and prayer leading up to Easter Sunday. The term Maundy Thursday comes from the Latin word mandatum, which means 'COMMANDMENT, ' and refers to Jesus' COMMANDMENT to his disciples to love one another. The term LENT is derived from the Old English word lencten, which means 'spring season, ' and is a period of 40 days of fasting and prayer leading up to Easter.