Pope Francis kisses and washes feet of young offenders at Rome prison after mass inside St Peter's Basilica begins four days of Easter ceremony in spectacular style

• Pope Francis made remarkable gesture to demonstrate the church's commitment to marginalised in society
• Earlier conducted his first Holy Thursday service as Roman Catholic leader
• Francis' homily was the latest sign of his determination that the Church should be closer to the poor
• He was speaking to 1,600 priests from Rome who attended the Mass
• It kick-starts four days of hectic activities leading up to Easter this Sunday

He has spent much of his first fortnight on the job hobnobbing with world leaders and VIPs.
But yesterday Pope Francis visited a prison to wash and kiss the feet of convicted criminals.
He broke with tradition to hold a major Easter Week service at Casal del Marmo young offenders’ prison in Rome, telling 50 inmates: ‘I’m happy to be with you. Don’t give up hope.’
The foot washing on Maundy Thursday echoes a New Testament passage in which Jesus honours his 12 disciples before his Crucifixion.
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The Pope kisses the feet of one of twelve prisoners during the Holy Thursday ritual 

Pope Francis urges Catholics to reach out to the ``lost sheep’’

Pope Francis on Wednesday urged Catholics to go beyond a ``tired and routine way’’ of living their religion and to reach out to those who are furthest away from the Church.

CHRISM MASS IN ABUJA

CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF ABUJA DIOCESE,JOHN CARDINAL ONAIYEKAN (L) CONSECRATING THE OIL OF CHRISM DURING THE CHRISM MASS IN ABUJA ON WEDNESDAY

Pope: Holy week challenges us to step outside ourselves

(Vatican Radio) Please find below the English summary of Pope Francis’ first general audience. An English translation of the Holy Father’s complete catechesis will follow shortly:
Dear Brothers and Sisters, On Palm Sunday we began Holy Week, the heart of the liturgical year, when we commemorate the great events that express most powerfully God’s loving plan for all men and women. Jesus enters Jerusalem in order to give himself completely. He gives us his body and his blood, and

CHRISM MASS

The Mass of Chrism comes once a year to your cathedral. If you've never celebrated it, you're missing one of the most solemn and significant liturgies of our church. During the Mass, your bishop will bless the oil of catechumens, the oil of the sick, and the oil of chrism. We use the first for adult catechumens and infants, the second for anointing the sick, and the sacred oil of chrism for baptism, confirmation, the ordination of priests, and the consecration of altars.

Holy Thursday - March 28, 2013

Holy Day of Obligation

The Last Supper

During Lent, we should; live as children of the light, performing actions good, just and true - (see Ep 5:1-9).

Nos autem gloriari oportet in cruce Domini nostri Iesu Christi,
in quo est salus, vita et resurrectio nostra per quem salvati et liberati sumus.

We should glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, for he is our salvation,
our life and our resurrection; through Him we are saved and made free. (cf. Galations 6:14)

Holy Week

On Palm Sunday, we celebrate the first joy of the season, as we celebrate Our Lord's triumphant entrance into Jerusalem where he was welcomed by crowds worshiping him and laying down palm leaves before him. It also marks the beginning of Holy Week, with the greatest tragedy and sorrow of the year.