Pope Francis Sparks Controversy After Breaking Liturgical Law With Surprising Act
Once again, Pope Francis has shocked supporters and critics, alike. The pontiff washed and kissed the feet of a dozen inmates at a juvenile detention center in a Holy Thursday ritual that he celebrated for years as archbishop and is continuing now that he is pope.
And here’s what really turned heads : Two of the 12 were young women, a remarkable choice given that the church’s current liturgical law says only men should participate.
The mass was held in the Casal del Marmo facility in Rome, where 46 young men and women currently are detained. Many of them are Gypsies or North African migrants, and the 12 selected for the foot-washing rite included Orthodox and Muslim detainees, news reports said....
Dr. Alan Cairns | 8/3/2009
