Pope, looking strong, washes feet of 12 women at Rome prison from his wheelchair

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis washed and kissed the feet of 12 women inmates at a Rome prison during a Holy Thursday ritual meant to emphasize his vocation of service and humility.

The 87-year-old Francis performed the ritual from his wheelchair, after recent ailments have compounded his mobility problems. The Rebibbia prison venue was outfitted to accommodate his needs: The women sat on stools on a raised-up platform, enabling the pope to move down the line with ease from his wheelchair without having to strain himself.

Many of the women wept as Francis washed their feet, gently pouring water over one bared foot and patting it dry with a small towel. He finished the gesture by kissing each foot, often looking up to the woman with a smile.

The Holy Thursday foot-washing ceremony is a hallmark of every Holy Week and recalls the foot-washing Jesus performed on his 12 apostles at their last supper together before he was crucified.

Francis revolutionized the ritual for the Vatican by insisting, from his very first Holy Thursday as pope in 2013, to include women and people of other faiths among the 12. Previously, popes performed the ritual on Catholic men only at a Rome basilica.

Francis has traveled each year to a prison, refugee center or youth detention facility to emphasize his belief that a priest’s vocation is to serve especially those most on the margins. In his brief homily, delivered off-the-cuff, Francis explained the meaning of the gesture.

“Jesus humiliates himself,” Francis said. “With this gesture, he makes us understand what he had said: ‘I am not here to be served, but to serve.’”

“He teaches us the path of service,” Francis said.

Francis appeared in good shape at the prison, even after presiding over a long Mass earlier in the day in St. Peter's Basilica. During the morning liturgy, he delivered a lengthy homily with a set of marching orders to Rome-based priests at the start of a busy few days leading to Easter.

Francis has been hobbled by a long bout of respiratory problems this winter and in recent weeks has asked an aide to read aloud his remarks to spare him the strain. On Palm Sunday, he skipped his homily altogether.

But Francis seemed energized by his visit to the Rebibbia prison, where he was given a basket of vegetables grown in the prison garden as well as two liturgical stoles embroidered by the inmates.

Francis, for his part, regifted a framed image of the Madonna that he had been given, saying as soon as he received it he thought of the women at Rebibbia. He also gave a big chocolate Easter egg to the young son of one of the inmates.

Even with Holy Thursday events wrapped up, Francis has a busy few days coming up that will test his stamina.

On Friday, he is due to travel at night to the Colosseum for the Way of the Cross procession re-enacting Christ’s crucifixion. On Saturday, he presides over an evening Easter Vigil in St. Peter’s Basilica followed a few hours later by Easter Sunday Mass in the piazza and his big noontime Urbi et Orbi (to the city and the world) speech highlighting global conflicts and disasters afflicting humanity.

Pope Francis arrives at the Rebibbia prison to celebrate the Last Supper mass with inmates on Holy Thursday, in Rome, Thursday, March 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Pope Francis arrives at the Rebibbia prison to celebrate the Last Supper mass with inmates on Holy Thursday, in Rome, Thursday, March 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Pope Francis arrives at the Rebibbia prison to celebrate the Last Supper mass with inmates on Holy Thursday, in Rome, Thursday, March 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Cardinals attend the Holy Chrism Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, at The Vatican, Thursday, March 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope Francis celebrates the Holy Chrism Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, at The Vatican, Thursday, March 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

A Swiss guard gestures as Pope Francis celebrates the Holy Chrism Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, at The Vatican, Thursday, March 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope Francis celebrates the Holy Chrism Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, at The Vatican, Thursday, March 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Cardinals attend the Holy Chrism Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, at The Vatican, Thursday, March 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Cardinals attend the Holy Chrism Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, at The Vatican, Thursday, March 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope Francis celebrates the Holy Chrism Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, at The Vatican, Thursday, March 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Cardinals attend the Holy Chrism Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, at The Vatican, Thursday, March 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Cardinals attend the Holy Chrism Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, at The Vatican, Thursday, March 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope Francis celebrates the Holy Chrism Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Thursday, March 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

The birthday of the historical Buddha or Shakyamuni Buddha, known as Vesak in several countries, celebrates the birth of the child who became Prince Siddhartha around the end of the 4th century B.C. This is a holy occasion for all Buddhists, but is celebrated on different dates depending on the school of Buddhism or country to which one belongs. In several Asian countries, it is observed on the eighth day of the fourth month of the lunisolar calendar, which this year falls on May 15. In several South and Southeast Asian countries, it is celebrated on the first full moon of May, which falls on May 23.

Siddhartha was born in Lumbini, which is at the border of what is India and Nepal today. His mother, Maya, was the wife of Suddhodana, king of the Shakya clan. According to Buddhist lore, when she conceived, the queen dreamed that an auspicious white elephant entered her womb. A number of texts recount the child’s miraculous birth, detailing how the baby was received by the gods Indra and Brahma, and took seven steps soon after he was born. He is then believed to have received a cleansing bath from the gods, or dragon kings, depending on the country or culture where the legend originated.

Suddhodana sheltered his son from pain and suffering, believing that keeping him isolated would put him on the path to becoming king. However, he could not protect Siddhartha for long, and the prince began to reflect after witnessing sickness, old age and death. Disillusioned by the impermanence of life, Siddhartha engaged in six years of ascetic practice and attained enlightenment at the age of 35 in Bodh Gaya in northeast India. He then became known as the Buddha, which means “the awakened one.”

Buddhists around the world use this time to not only celebrate, but also reflect on Buddha’s teachings and what it means to practice the faith. In many parts of Asia, the sacred day marks not just the birth, but also the enlightenment and passing of the Buddha. In most Asian cultures and the diaspora, Buddhists go to their local temples and participate in chanting, meditation and festivities all day. Families decorate their homes with lanterns and gather for feasts.

Buddha’s birthday is a national holiday in South Korea. The highlight of the celebration in Seoul is the lotus lantern festival called Yeondeunghoe, a parade of thousands of colorful, lighted paper lanterns often shaped like lotus flowers that are hung in temples and streets. On Buddha’s birthday, many temples provide free meals and tea to all visitors. Festivities in temple yards and parks include traditional games and various performing arts displays. The luminous display is believed to symbolize the light of Buddha’s teachings.

While Buddha’s birthday is not an official holiday in North Korea, it has been observed in Buddhist temples there since 1988. In 2018, Buddhist monks in North and South Korea held joint services when animosities between their governments eased. But such exchange programs have been stalled in the past few years due to tensions over North Korea’s nuclear program.

In China, the faithful do a bathing ceremony that involves pouring scented blessed water over a statue of the infant Buddha whose right forefinger is pointed upwards toward the sky and left forefinger is pointing down to the Earth. According to legend, the Buddha announced shortly after being born that he would have no more rebirths, and the dragons of heaven baptized him with pure water.

In Japan, April 8 is observed as Buddha’s birthday and is celebrated in Buddhist temples as Hana Matsuri, which means flower festival. On this day, a small “flower hall” is set up on temple grounds and decorated with colorful flowers. A bowl of water with a statue of the baby Buddha is placed in the middle and devotees pour sweet tea on the head of the statue. A priest performs the Kambutsu-e nativity festival recreating Buddha’s birth in the garden of Lumbini.

Countries in South and Southeast Asia celebrate Buddha’s birthday on the full moon of the second lunar month known as Vesakha or Vaisakha. The Sanskrit word for full moon is Purnima, which is why the holiday is also called Buddha Purnima. The Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya is decorated on this day and devotees perform special prayers under the bodhi tree under which the Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment. In India and Nepal, sweet rice porridge is served on this day to recall the story of Sujata, a maiden who offered the Buddha a bowl of milk porridge.

In Malaysia and China, caged animals and birds are set free on Buddha’s birthday because people believe it is good karma. In Sri Lanka, celebrants decorate homes and streets with candles and paper and bamboo lanterns. Festivities feature devotional songs, decorative structures called “pandals,” burning of incense and electric light displays depicting stories from Buddha’s life. In Vietnam, Buddha’s birthday is a still popular festival, but not a public holiday, which it was from 1958 to 1975 in what was formerly South Vietnam.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Buddhists walk past lanterns during the Lotus Lantern Festival, ahead of the birthday of Buddha at Dongguk University in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Buddhists carry lanterns and walk in a parade during the Lotus Lantern Festival, ahead of the birthday of Buddha at Dongguk University in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Buddhists wait for a lantern parade as part of festivities celebrating the birthday of Buddha, at Dongguk University in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Buddhists monks clean Buddha statues ahead of the upcoming birthday of Buddha on May 15, at the Jogye temple in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Buddhists monks clean Buddha statues ahead of the upcoming birthday of Buddha on May 15, at the Jogye temple in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)