THE Pope Francis he is to go this afternoon to the Casal del Marmo juvenile prison in the Italian capital for the Catholic Maundy Thursday Washing Ceremony where he will symbolically wash the feet of 12 inmates. 12 young people of various nationalities, who are serving their sentences, will take part in the ceremony. “This visit has caused great anticipation, but also joy for all of us,” said the prison chaplain.

Francis had gone to the same penitentiary – always for this particular ceremony – ten years ago, shortly after his election by the Conclave of Cardinals. Last year, for the Niptiros ceremony, he decided to go to the prison in the city of Civitavecchia, 70 kilometers north of Rome, where he symbolically washed the feet of prisoners and talked with them for about three hours.

Before the election of Francis, this Catholic Holy Thursday ceremony had always taken place in Royal Church of Agios Ioannis of the Lateran, in Rome. The “pope of the poor”, however, decided to change this tradition and to be, once again, close to people who suffer and feel marginalized.