Pope Holy Thursday Mass outside Rome for first time

(ANSA) - Vatican City, March 22 - Pope Francis will on Thursday become the first pope to hold the traditional Holy Thursday Mass outside Rome, the Vatican said Tuesday. Francis will go to a centre for asylum seekers at Castelnuovo di Porto near Rome for the Mass at which he will wash feet as Jesus did at the Last Supper. There will be no changes to the pope's Holy Week schedule because of the Brussels terror attacks, said Vatican Spokesman Father Federico Lombardi. The Vatican said March 14 that Francis had decided to celebrate the Holy Thursday Mass at a migrant centre. Sources told ANSA that Francis wants to make a special gesture of attention for refugees and migrants this year. Last year he carried out the ritual foot-washing at Rome's Rebibbia prison, the year before at an elderly care home and the year before that, in one of his first acts as pontiff, in a juvenile prison.
    As on other such occasions, this year the pope is expected to wash women's as well as men's feet. Last Holy Thursday the pope washed and kissed the feet of 12 inmates at Rebibbia prison, six men and six women, as part of the Easter week tradition signifying service and sacrifice.
    The Mass and foot-washing commemorate some of the final acts of Christ during His last supper with disciples, when He washed their feet.