Italy - Service and forgiveness. Pope Francis’ words from Civitavecchia prison

15 April 2022

Foto © Vatican Media

(ANS - Civitavecchia) - For the sixth time in his pontificate, and for the first time since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Pope Francis celebrated Holy Thursday Mass in Coena Domini in a prison. Yesterday, April 14, 2022, after presiding over the Chrism Mass in St. Peter's Basilica in the morning, he did so at the Borgata Aurelia Penitentiary in Civitavecchia. In the course of the homily, delivered off the cuff, the Pontiff recalled that "God forgives everything and always", and that we are all called to mutual service and "without interest", personal gain or advantage.

The prison that welcomed the Holy Father yesterday is located on the outskirts of Civitavecchia, in the Lazio Region; counting inmates and staff, it hosts a community of about 900 people. There are 530 inmates, mostly women. Only a representation of them was able to come into the chapel to greet the Pope, along with a representation of the agents and staff of the prison, and some authorities, including the Italian Minister of Justice, Marta Cartabia. Many, however, remained outside the chapel, leaning against the wall to film and greet the arrival of the Pontiff.

The celebration was intimate with inmates animating the songs and acting as altar servers and readers. The Pope's homily, delivered in a hushed voice, was all about the concepts of forgiveness and service. The Bishop of Rome commented on the readings of the day, speaking of the sign of the Washing of the Feet, a gesture, a "strange thing," because "at that time the feet were washed by slaves."

Moreover, the Lord washes the feet of all 12 Apostles, even Judas "the one who sells him," continued Francis. "Jesus is thus and he teaches us this, simply: among you, you must wash your feet... One serves the other, without interest: how beautiful it would be if this were possible to do it every day and to all people." "Without interest," he repeated.

"God forgives everything and God always forgives!" the Pontiff added. "It is we who get tired of asking for forgiveness," forgetting that the Lord "is a somewhat strange Judge: the Lord judges and forgives." Finally, he concluded by urging us to go forward with "the desire to serve and forgive each other."

The homily ended with a long pause for silence. At the end of which Pope Francis repeated the gesture of Jesus during the Last Supper, when the Lord washed the feet of his disciples as a sign of love pushed to the point of service and humiliation; thus did the Pope towards 12 inmates, men and women, of different ages, different nationalities and from different sections of the penitentiary.