The Pope washed the feet of twelve prisoners in a prison outside Rome, a custom he adopted when he was elected pope nine years ago, but which he also used to do when he was Archbishop of Buenos Aires.
In a ceremony without cameras or journalists, the Pope celebrated Mass in Civitavecchia Prison, on the outskirts of Rome. Francisco arrived at 3:00 p.m. and left at 6:50 p.m., prison chaplains revealed.
The Vatican press office did not provide any information in this regard.
In the morning the pontiff celebrated Chrism Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, where, as every year, all the clergy-priests of Rome participated, and the holy oil used in the parishioners of the capital was an Italian blessed in the sacraments of Confirmation. and anointing the sick.
Cardinal Bergoglio also used to celebrate Mass on Holy Thursday in Buenos Aires in a prison, in a hospital, in a nursing home for the poor, or with people on the fringes of society.
In 2017, the Pope went to the high-security Baliano prison, south of Rome, where he washed twelve prisoners, including three women and a Muslim. It was the only prison in Italy where members of the mafia who decided to cooperate with justice in exchange for a reduced sentence were held, called “justice collaborators”. Instead, in 2018, the Pope chose Rome’s central prison “Regina Coeli” where he also visited Section VIII where prisoners who have committed crimes of a sexual nature are sentenced.
In 2019, Francis celebrated Mass on Holy Thursday at Velletri Prison in Rome. This gesture has been halted due to the pandemic. Last year, the pope celebrated a mass commemorating the washing of the apostles’ feet during the Last Supper, “In Coena Domini,” at the private residence of ousted Cardinal Angelo Besio, who will be announced on April 27 at a trial in the Vatican over an illegal purchase of a property in London.
In any case, one of the most famous images of Francis kneeling while washing the feet of a group of inmates is Francis.