Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday 2017: Bible Verses, Passages, & Readings

Saturnalia was a rowdy holiday that ran from December 17 to December 25. During this time Roman courts were closed and people couldn't get in trouble for damaging property, hurting other people, or rape. According to History Today, during Saturnalia, Roman community leaders would pick one individual as "an enemy of the Roman people" to represent the "Lord of Misrule." This unfortunate individual, man or woman, would be forced to indulge in orgies of food and sex throughout the holiday week, then on December 25 would be brutally murdered by the authorities as a representation of vanquishing evil. Another aspect of Saturnalia included "role reversal," where servants would be served by their masters throughout the holiday. This role reversal also played out during the Christian Feast of Fools, which may be a contributor to our modern April Fools'.