Christians Mark Holy Thursday Observances

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Christians marked Holy Thursday today, commemorates the day of the last supper the night before Jesus Christ was crucified.

At Saint Patrick's Cathedral, many took part in prayer services to observe the sacred holiday.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan spent the morning with Catholic charities at the Cristo Rey New York High School in East Harlem.

"This is New York at it's best coming together, to feed the hungry to embrace the poor," said Dolan.

Food pantry meals were distributed to New Yorkers in need.

"On Holy Thursday the night before he died, remember what Jesus did?" said Dolan. "He washed the feet of his apostles, he says 'I'm your servant, yes I'm your Lord but I'm your servant.'"

"Many of the people we see are the working poor who are doing everything right and still don't have enough to eat," said Jeanne McGettigan of Catholic Charities Community Services.

Dennise Cortes is just 14 years old.

"My mother works very hard and we earn very little," she said. "I have like three brothers and it's very little food that we get to eat each day and the food pantry helps us a lot."

"You doing somebody a favor, you feel so good afterwards you know that, you feel happy you know," said Marta Benitiz, a 98-year-old volunteer. "I've last this long so maybe I'm doing something right and it's volunteering."

Benitiz turns 99 in two months and plans on a long future of helping others.