The Pope will perform the ritual washing of the feet of former Mafioso
Moscow. April 13. INTERFAX.RU — Pope Francis will hold a traditional ceremony of the washing of the feet of a former mobster in the prison town of Paliano (province of Frosinone), reported on Thursday the Italian media.
During the ceremony Pope Francis will wash, dry and kiss the feet of several prisoners — former members of the mafia, repentant of their crimes.
“Everyone has the right to be wrong. We were all wrong, anyway,” said the Pontiff in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica. Pope Francis also noted “lack of faith in rehabilitation and reintegration (of ex-prisoners — if) in the society” from the public.
Foot washing is a traditional, rooted in the liturgical practice of some Christian churches, a rite. The gospel describes the washing of the feet of the apostles, which was made by Jesus Christ before the last Supper in the upper room of Zion in Jerusalem.
Heading in 2013, the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis the first decided to make a foot-washing ceremony outside the Vatican. So, in 2013, on the eve of Passover he washed the feet of juvenile offenders in the colony in 2014 — the elderly and disabled, in 2015, inmates in prison, and in 2016 — the charges of the center for immigrants.