Pope Leo XIV washes the feet of priests for Holy Thursday
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- Pope Leo XIV restored the traditional Holy Thursday foot-washing ritual by washing the feet of 12 priests, reversing his predecessor Pope Francis's practice of including laypeople and non-Christians in the ceremony.
- The ceremony took place at the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, where Leo emphasized the ritual as a symbol of humility, service, and love, contrasting with worldly notions of power and domination.
- Pope Francis had expanded the ritual since 2013 to include women and people of other faiths, aiming to challenge clericalism and promote inclusivity, while Leo's restoration highlights a renewed focus on the Catholic clergy.
- Leo has expressed concern for priests facing crisis and loneliness, urging the faithful to support and pray for them, emphasizing their role as beloved disciples rather than mere functionaries.
- This shift reflects Leo’s broader effort to reinforce appreciation for priests and protect their rights, contrasting with Francis’s critical stance on clerical culture and its role in past abuses.
