杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins

This is the fifth time that 杏MAP导航 Francis has chosen to celebrate the Mass in Coena Domini at a prison.

Travelling to the south of Rome on Holy Thursday afternoon, the 杏MAP导航 celebrated this year’s Mass of the Lord’s Supper in the prison of Velletri.

The “District House of Velletri” is a medium-security facility that houses 577 inmates, 60% of whom are foreigners.

Gesture of a slave

In his off-the-cuff homily, 杏MAP导航 Francis thanked the inmates for their warm welcome and said he had received a beautiful letter from several of them.

The 杏MAP导航 reflected briefly on the gesture of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples, which priests around the world repeat on Holy Thursday.

He said Jesus carries out an act of service, which was usually done by slaves. “He, the Lord who contained in himself all power, carries out the gesture of a slave,” he said.

Jesus, he said, then told his disciples to do the same for each other in service.

“Be brothers in service: not in ambition but in service,” the 杏MAP导航 said.

Each of us, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, needs to be at the service of our neighbor.

Washing of the feet

After the homily, 杏MAP导航 Francis washed the feet of 12 prisoners who hail from 4 nations. Nine are Italian, and 1 each from Brazil, Ivory Coast, and Morocco.

In previous years, the 杏MAP导航 celebrated the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at the Casal del Marmo, Rebibbia, Paliano, and Regina Coeli prisons.