The Holy See Press Office said today that Pope Francis will celebrate the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper at the juvenile prison 'Casal del Marmo' in Rome. Known as Maundy Thursday is the first of the Three Sacred Days in Holy Week leading to Easter Sunday; this Liturgy is rooted John 13. The Mass of the Lord's Supper, commemorates the institution of the Holy Eucharist and the priesthood. The Mass on Holy Thursday recalls that Jesus washed the feet of His disciples as an example of love, of service ; the washing of the feet known as the 'mandatum.'
As Archbishop of Buenos Aires, as you can note in the picture, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio celebrated Mass in a prison, hospital or hospice for poor and marginalized people. This move from Saint John Lateran to the prison is consistent with Francis' previous pastoral priorities.
On 18 March 2007, Pope Benedict offered Mass in this same prison.
Greetings,
Consistent w/ His past, yes, but now as Bishop of Rome (and all that means in its totality for the entire Church), His Holinesses is already putting the words He spoke of at His installation Mass into action and, more importantly, His Holiness is clearly giving us the direction that He wants the Church to go, with an emphasis on a strong personal spiritual life with the fruits being the corporal works of mercy.
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