Pope washes feet of women, Muslims on Maundy Thursday

The pontiff chose to celebrate the rite in the Casal del Marmo prison in northwest Rome, rather than in the traditional venue of the St. John Lateran Basilica.

(Photo Courtesy: washington post)

Rome:  Breaking tradition yet again, Pope Francis washed the feet of 12 young inmates, including two girls and two Muslims, during a Maundy Thursday Mass at a youth detention in Rome.

The pontiff chose to celebrate the rite in the Casal del Marmo prison in northwest Rome, rather than in the traditional venue of the St. John Lateran Basilica.

The inclusion of two women in the rite — which commemorates Jesus’ washing of the feet of the apostles on the night before his death — is also a first for a pope, but the pope had already done so as archbishop of Buenos Aires.

As all of Jesus’ apostles were men, popes usually washed the feet of 12 male priests. Outside the Vatican, many bishops wash only the feet of men.

In a brief, unscripted homily, the pope explained that the foot-washing ceremony exemplifies Jesus’ message that men — including those in positions of power and authority — must be in service of each other.

“Among us, who is above must be in service of the others,” he said.

“This doesn’t mean we have to wash each other’s feet every day, but we must help one another,” he added.

Media access to the youth prison was limited since most inmates are minors, but the Vatican’s chief spokesperson, Rev. Federico Lombardi, reported that the pope knelt in front of the 12 youth and kissed their feet after having washed and dried them.

“It was an impressive gesture,” he said, adding that it was also “physically taxing.”

After the Mass, the pope personally greeted all the inmates as well as the prison’s staff and volunteers.

“Do not let yourselves be robbed of hope,” he told the young offenders before leaving.

The Casal del Marmo youth prison houses 49 inmates aged 14-21, mostly coming from North Africa and Eastern Europe.

Earlier on Thursday, at a solemn Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica that marks the beginning of Easter celebrations for the Catholic Church, the pontiff called on priests to avoid becoming “managers” and “collectors of antiques or novelties.”

He urged them to “go out of themselves,” into the “outskirts where there is suffering, bloodshed, blindness that longs for sight, and prisoners in thrall to many evil masters.”

The Argentine pontiff, who has shown an eagerness to break with tradition, had blessed a guide dog during an interaction with journalists after his election on March 13.

Source: washington post