The Pope washes and kisses the feet of prisoners

Pope Francis visited a children’s reform school in Rome for the ceremony of washing the feet of the poor on the Thursday before Easter.

The 86-year-old pope, who was hospitalized last week with an upper respiratory infection, washed the feet of young people staying at the reform school in a traditional prayer ceremony. Hz. In the traditional ceremony believed to reflect Jesus’ humility toward his apostles, the pope first washed and then kissed the feet of 12 young prisoners.

Pope Francis, who has held office for 10 years, has drawn attention as the first pope to include women and non-Catholics in the traditional foot-washing ceremony. A Senegalese Muslim and two women were among those the pope washed and kissed at yesterday’s ceremony.

Before this ceremony, the Pope also visited St. Peter’s Basilica, where a large number of senior clergy of the Catholic Church attended. Pope Francis, in his speech here, called on the cardinals not to allow divisions in the Church.