Pope Francis will wash the feet of prisoners this Holy Thursday

'The inmates have asked me for years for the pope to visit them.'

For Holy Thursday, Pope Francis will visit Paliano prison, located south of Rome, to celebrate the Mass of Our Lord's Supper.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - According to Vatican Radio, the Pontiff will continue the tradition of Last Supper Mass to wash the feet of inmates.

The tradition began shortly after his inauguration into papacy, when he traveled to the Casal del Marmo youth detention centre.

While there, he washed the feet of many inmates including women and Muslims.

The next year, he went to Rome's Don Gnocchi centre for the disabled, where he washed feet again in honor of Christ's humility when he washed the feet of his disciples.

Pope Francis washed the feet of 12 inmates and a toddler at Rome's Rebibbia prison.

Last year His Holiness again traveled to Rome's Rebibbia prison to wash the feet of refugees from different religions including Coptic Orthodox, Hindu and Muslim at the Centre for Asylum Seekers.

This year, the Pontiff will visit the maximum security prison on April 13.

Father Luigi Paoletti, the chaplain of Paliano prison, explained prisoners were both touched and surprised to hear they would be receiving His Holiness.

"The inmates have asked me for years for the pope to visit them," he stated. "They have written to him many times."

Fr. Paoletti said the prisoners are prepared to offer the Pope an "extraordinary reception" and "are in love with this pope and want to hear his comforting words to them and their families."

According to the Italian Ministry of Justice, Paliano prison is home to 74 inmates and has three sections, one for men, one for women and one health facility.

The penitentiary is unique as it contains "collaborators of justice," or prisoners who are former mafia members who have agreed to work with the justice system.

The Collaborators of Justice get drastically reduced sentences in exchange for information.

Pope Francis has long stood against the Italian mafia so his visit to Paliano is especially anticipated.

---

'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'

Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online