Pope Francis today washed prisoners’ feet at a Rome jail on Thursday, including a Nigerian, two Muslims, an Orthodox Christian and a Buddhist to celebrate Holy Thursday among Italy’s incarcerated.
Speaking after the act, Francis said to the prisoners of the city’s all-male Regina Coeli prison,
“Everyone always has the opportunity to change life and one cannot judge.”
It is the fourth time in the pope’s five year papacy that he has celebrated the Holy Mass in an Italian jail.
“For me, visiting the sick, going into prison, making the prisoner feel that he can have hope of rehabilitation, that is the preaching of the Church,” said Francis in a recent book of interviews.
This year, the twelve inmates washed by Francis hailed from Italy, the Philippines, Morocco, Colombia, Moldova, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.