Holy Thursday: Pope Francis washed and kissed the feet of 12 prisoners in Rome

This is the fifth time the Sovereign Pontiff has performed in front of the Vatican as part of a celebration that mimics the acts of Jesus Christ at the Last Supper.

The ritual of washing prisoners' feet is already a custom of Pope Francis at Holy Thursday Mbad. This is the fifth time that the Sovereign Pontiff cleans and kisses the feet of 12 detainees, in Rome, in a gesture of "fraternity" and "service".

On this occasion, he was in Velletri Prison, in the southeastern suburbs of Rome, which has about 600 detainees and 200 guards. Upon his arrival, the pontiff was applauded by some 200 detainees who were waiting to see him enter.

After a brief impromptu homily, the 82-year-old Pope knelt, badisted by two badistants, to wash and kiss the feet of 12 detainees (nine Italians, one Brazilian, one Ivorian and one Moroccan).

The pope recalled that it was a gesture reserved for "slaves" to welcome the visitor come to the house. He advised all the detainees to repeat among themselves this gesture of "fraternity", which is now also performed by the bishops, according to the AFP agency.

"Everyone must be the servant of others", "the eldest must serve the smallest," he said, insisting that the "gesture of dominating, hurting, humiliating others" be abandoned.

In the Christian tradition, Holy Thursday commemorates the day when Christ washed the feet of the apostles and established the Eucharist at his last meal. The ritual was perpetuated in Christianity, except in some branches of Protestantism.

Since the beginning of his pontificate, Pope Francis has decided to organize this celebration outside the Vatican. On other occasions, the Argentine pontiff went to a juvenile prison and a repentant gangster detention center.

On Thursday morning, Pope Francis presided in the Basilica of San Pedro the traditional Chrism Mbad, which blesses the holy oil that will be used for other sacraments during the year.

During this mbad, in front of prelates and religious of Rome, declared: "We are not distributors of bottled oil". "We do the anointing by getting our hands dirty by touching the wounds, the sins, the anguish of the people," said the pope.

(Profile)