He Pope Francisco washed this thursday the feet of 12 young people arrested in Rome like gesture “to help each other”as stated when celebrating the mass of Holy Thursday in the Casal del Marmo prison, and after having asked members of the clergy this morning not to “dirty” the Church with the “polarizations” during the Chrism Mass in the Basilica of Saint Peter.
According to Christian tradition, Francis represented the gesture of humility that Christ had with his apostles before being arrested, sentenced to death and crucified on a Friday in Jerusalem.
The 86-year-old Argentine pontiff, who was hospitalized last week for bronchitis Unleashing concern among Catholics, he went this Thursday afternoon to the Casal del Marmo prison, in the north of the Italian capital, where I had already performed that rite in 2013 after his election to the throne of Peter.
Visit of Pope Francis to the detainees
Leaning on a cane, Jorge Mario Bergoglio appeared smiling and stood in front of each of the 12 young men detained – including two girls – to wash their feet and even bent down to kiss them.
Some of them returned the gesture with a kiss on the hand, others exchanged a few words with him.
“I am going to comply with this ritual. It is not folklore. I hope to get out of this because I can’t walk very well,” explained the pope, who was standing for several minutes, alluding to his problems walking on the pain in one knee that forces him to move in a wheelchair.
Pope Francis.jpg
Among the young people there was even a Muslim, as well as Catholics from various parts of the world, according to the Vatican, which broadcast the ceremony live for the first time.
Since the beginning of his pontificate in 2013, Pope Francis decided to take this celebration outside the Vatican.
vatican.jpg
Easter
On Thursday morning, Pope Francis presided over St Peter’s basilica the traditional Chrism mass, in which holy oil is blessed that will be useful for others sacraments during the year.
On Sunday, on the occasion of Easter, which commemorates the resurrection of christ According to the story of the Gospels, he will impart the blessing “Urbi et Orbi” to the city and the world, and will read the traditional message about the problems of the world.
Source: Ambito
