Pope Francis on Thursday in his usually manner since he became Pope, took the traditional feet washing service outside the church.

This time, he visited a prison in Rome and apparently for the first time in history, the Pope was seen washing the feet of women.

Pope Francis presided over the Holy Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Thursday from the Rebibbia Women’s Prison in Rome. The Pope washed the feet of 12 inmates from his wheelchair, many of whom were in tears.

“From his wheelchair, 87-year-old Pope Francis washed and kissed the feet of 12 women, who are inmates at a prison in Rome, during the Holy ceremony that recalls the foot-washing Jesus performed on his 12 apostles before he was crucified. Francis was the first pope to include women in the ceremony”, according to CBSN news.

International news agency, Reuters, reported that Pope Francis looked well as he washed and kissed the feet of  the 12 women prisoners on Thursday at a traditional ritual on the first of four event-filled days leading to Easter for the 87-year-old pontiff.

Accordingly, Reuters added that Pope Francis travelled to Rome’s Rebibbia prison, in a run-down area on Rome’s outskirts, to preside at the Holy Thursday Mass for dozens of inmates, guards, chaplains and officials gathered in an outdoor area of the female section.

Catholic News Agency also reported that Pope Francis washed and kissed the feet of the 12 women inmates at a Rome prison during a Holy Thursday ritual with a view to emphasize his vocation of service and humility.

AP report indicated that; “The 87-year-old Francis performed the ritual from his wheelchair, after recent ailments have compounded his mobility problems.

Francis has traveled each year to a prison, refugee center or youth detention facility to emphasize his belief that a priest’s vocation is to serve especially those most on the margins. In his brief homily, delivered off-the-cuff, Francis explained the meaning of the gesture”.

It was observed that Pope Francis departed from tradition in the yearly Maundy Thursday ritual by exclusively washing the feet of 12 women.

Other media also reported that the Pope washing the feet of twelve women at a prison in Rome, the ceremony underscores the virtue of humility. “This occasion marked the first instance where the Pope exclusively washed the feet of women during this special annual service.

Despite recent health and mobility challenges, the 87-year-old Pope conducted the ceremony from his wheelchair. Many of the participants were visibly moved to tears by this gesture.

The foot-washing ritual, observed on the Thursday preceding Easter, aims to emulate the act of Jesus Christ washing the feet of his disciples on the eve of his crucifixion.

Since assuming papacy, Pope Francis has relocated this ceremony from the Vatican, choosing to wash the feet of prisoners, refugees, and the disabled.

While Pope Francis has previously washed the feet of women and Muslims, according to church historian Michael Walsh and liturgical expert Father Anthony Ruff, this event marked the first time a pope exclusively washed the feet of women during the ceremony”.

“From his wheelchair, he washed and kissed the right foot of 12 women sitting on a riser in a ritual commemorating Jesus’ gesture of humility to his apostles at the Last Supper on the night before he was crucified.

A number of the inmates were foreigners and some cried as he performed the ritual.
The female section of the prison, one of Italy’s largest, holds about 370 inmates who are jailed for various offences.

Francis is the first pope to hold the foot-washing ceremony outside churches, usually in prisons, homes for the elderly or hospices, continuing a practice he began when he was archbishop of Buenos Aires.

He is also the first pope to include women, atheists, Muslims and other non-Christians in the service. Previous pope held the service in either St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican or the Basilica of St. John in Lateran and included only men, usually priests.

Francis wove his short, improvised homily around the theme of service to others.

“Each of you has their own story but the Lord listens to us with open arms and never tires of forgiving,” he said.

Francis, who recently curtailed his speaking engagements because of fatigue related to bouts of bronchitis and influenza, seemed fit. When he arrived at the prison, an aide pushed his wheelchair around the small crowd and many inmates rushed forward to touch him.

The prison director, Nadia Fontana, told the pope he had brought the institution “a ray of sunlight,” and inmates gave him items, including liturgical vestments, that they had made in prison workshops.
Francis stood for parts of the service and then, while seated, greeted the prisoners and a three-year-old boy who lives there with his inmate mother.

Francis also looked well and strong earlier on Thursday at a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, where he read a long homily and improvised part of it.

On Good Friday, the day Christians commemorate Jesus’ crucifixion, Francis is due to preside at a “Passion of the Lord” service in St. Peter’s Basilica and then attend a traditional evening Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) procession at Rome’s Colosseum.

He will preside at an Easter Vigil service on Saturday, and on Sunday he will read his twice-annual “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and world) message and blessing from the central balcony of St Peter’s to tens of thousands of people in the square below”, Reuters news report reads in quote.

However, Pope Francis on Friday skipped the traditional Good Friday procession at Rome’s Colosseum, adding to concerns about his frail health during a particularly busy liturgical period, according to Vatican’s statement.

Pope Francis canceled his attendance at the Good Friday procession at Rome’s Colosseum at the last minute, in what the Vatican described as a bid to preserve his health ahead of more Easter week engagements.

Pope Francis however followed the Way of the Cross held at Rome’s Colosseum on Good Friday from his residence at the Casa Santa Marta, “while still leading the faithful in reflecting on our Christian journey of prayer”, the Vatican said.