Every Holy Thursday, the Pope visits a prison to imitate Jesus' gesture of washing His disciples' feet. However, this time, his health conditions prevented him from presiding over a liturgical celebration. Instead, he had a brief meeting with 70 inmates at Rome's Regina Coeli Prison, in the Trastevere neighborhood.
The atmosphere among the inmates was a mixture of emotion and excitement. Never before during the Pope's visits to prisons has there been such commotion.
So. There's enough for everyone. Sit down!
Be still. He's approaching.
Let's respect the Holy Father!
This is the Pope's only meeting with people outside the Vatican since leaving the hospital.
After finishing, he gave them his blessing.
When he left, the Pope asked to stop the car to exchange greetings with the press.
Hello, Your Holiness. First of all, how are you feeling?
I'm sitting down.
We're seeing this.
Every time I go into these places, I wonder why them and not me.
What is this Holy Week like for you, so complicated after being in the hospital? How are you experiencing it?
As best I can. I'm experiencing it as best I can. Come on.
The prison Pope Francis visited is not without serious tensions. At one point, 1,150 people were overcrowded there, compared to its capacity of 628. In the last four years, at least 15 people have taken their own lives there.
JRB
TR: GS
