Pope Francis washed the feet of 12 prisoners – men and women of different ages and nationalities – in Civitavecchia prison north of Rome on Maundy Thursday. Before washing his feet, Francis celebrated mass with the prisoners. Italian Justice Minister Marta Cartabia was also present, the Vatican press service reported on Thursday evening.
The Vatican described the Pope’s meeting with the prisoners as a “private visit”. “Jesus teaches us this very simply: you should wash each other’s feet” […] one serves the other without interest: how beautiful it would be if it were possible to do this every day and for all people,” the Pope said during the Mass.
Gifts from the prisoners
At the end of the ceremony, the director of the prison thanked the Pope and presented him with a printout of the old port of Civitavecchia, some products from the prison garden and some works made by the staff and the prisoners. After the ceremony, the Pope went to the prison briefing room, where he briefly greeted about 50 people representing inmates and prison staff. Then he returned to the Vatican.
In recent years, the Pope has celebrated Mass in prisons on Maundy Thursday. The tradition was suspended in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. Maundy Thursday Mass commemorates Jesus’ Last Supper, during which he washed the feet of his twelve disciples as a sign of humility and love. Traditionally, Maundy Thursday liturgy took place in the Lateran Basilica, the actual Roman papal church. Francis’ predecessors used to wash the feet of deserving clergy.
Muslims also wash their feet
Francis broke with tradition at his first Easter celebration in 2013 by celebrating the service in a juvenile detention center, largely without the media. In 2014, he moved the ritual to an institution for the disabled. Among other things, he washed the feet of a disabled Muslim from Libya. In 2015, the Pope washed the feet of prisoners in Rome’s Rebibbia prison. On Maundy Thursday 2016 he visited a refugee home. He washed the feet of refugees, including some Muslims.
Francis celebrated Chrism Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on Thursday morning with priests from the Diocese of Rome and the Vatican Curia. The Chrism Mass is the prelude to the great liturgical celebrations around Easter. During the Chrism Mass, the sacred oils were inaugurated, which are used in baptism, confirmation, the anointing of the sick and ordination. At the same time, several priests in St. Peter’s Basilica renewed the promises they had made at their ordination.
Way of the Cross on Good Friday
On Friday, Easter celebrations continue with the Good Friday Liturgy in the Vatican and the Stations of the Cross in the Colosseum. The 14 stations of the cross remind us of the suffering of Jesus. It is one of the most impressive ceremonies of the Roman ecclesiastical year. On Saturday evening, Easter Sunday is followed by the celebration of the Easter Vigil in St. Peter’s Basilica, which lasts several hours, followed by Easter Mass with the subsequent blessing “Urbi et orbi”.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
