At the Mass of Holy Thursday, the priest consecrates two large hosts. One of the consecrated Hosts he receives as Holy Communion during the Mass, after which he places the second Host in a chalice which he then covers with a pall and silk veil. Immediately after the Mass, that sole Host is carried in solemn procession to the Altar of Repose (presently placed in the vestibule of the church), where It remains throughout the Holy Thursday night for adoration of the faithful. The procession returns the following day to carry the Sacred Host to the main altar, where the priest humbly, gratefully and lovingly receives It at the Mass of the Presanctified.

The Mass of Holy Thursday commemorates in a powerful and impressive way the first Mass of all: the Last Supper, when Christ first gave His Body, which would soon be crucified, and His Blood, which would soon be shed for the forgiveness of sins. After that Last Supper, even before He entered the garden, Our Lord turned to His Apostles and said: “My soul is sorrowful even unto death.” Our Lord then entered the Garden of Olives to begin His Passion with the bloody sweat of His agony. The night we spend before the Altar of Repose recalls that night of the Agony, when the Apostles themselves forsook Him, first by taking rest and then by taking flight. Our vigil before the Altar of Repose is, in a sense, meant to console Our Lord and compensate Him for the weakness of His Apostles, first in sleeping through His anguish, then hastily abandoning Him at His capture. Consecrate this hour in prayer! Our Lord will give you much more comfort and consolation than you can ever provide Him.