Pope Leo XIV Returns to Traditional Priest Foot-Washing for Holy Thursday
Pope Leo XIV washed the feet of 12 Roman priests during his first Holy Thursday ceremony at St. Peter's Basilica. The ritual returned to the traditional practice of selecting only priests, reversing his predecessor's more inclusive approach.
Pope Leo XIV performed the traditional Holy Thursday foot-washing ceremony by cleaning the feet of 12 Roman priests during afternoon Mass at the Basilica of St. Peter's. Eleven of the priests were ordained by the pope himself last year.
The ceremony marks Jesus washing his disciples' feet at the Last Supper before his crucifixion. For decades, popes traditionally selected only male clergy for this ritual.
Pope Francis had changed this practice during his papacy, including women, prisoners, refugees, and people with disabilities to make the ceremony more inclusive. Pope Leo's return to washing only priests' feet shows his preference for traditional Catholic practices.
The Holy Thursday Mass, known as "in Coena Domini," is one of the most important ceremonies in the Catholic calendar. It begins the Easter Triduum, the three days leading to Easter Sunday.
This signals a shift back to traditional Catholic practices under the new pope. Holy Thursday foot-washing is one of the most symbolic ceremonies in Christianity, representing Jesus washing his disciples' feet before his crucifixion.
Watch for other ceremonial changes as Pope Leo continues to establish his leadership style during major Catholic holidays.
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