Britain's Queen Elizabeth's will hand out "Maundy Money" at a traditional Easter ceremony Thursday.

It is an annual tradition, every year on Maundy Thursday - the day before Good Friday - the 82-year-old monarch gives specially-made coins to pensioners.

During the service, which will be held at a cathedral in Suffolk, in east England, Elizabeth will give coins to 83 men and 83 women chosen because of their service to the community.

Each elderly person will receive two purses. A red purse will contain a 5 pound coin celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Accession of Henry VIII and a 50-pence coin to celebrate the founding of Kew Gardens and a white purse will contain 83 pence in Maundy coins.

The Maundy Service represents the story of Christ washing the feet of his disciples at The Last Supper.

It is a tradition dating back to the 13th century, when the monarch would give money to the poor while washing their feet. Foot-washing was abandoned in the 17th century because James II found it distasteful.