detention centre near Rome as part of the Maundy Thursday service.
The Christian ritual takes place on the Thursday before Easter to
commemorate Christ's Last Supper.
Thousands of pilgrims and tourists are arriving in Rome to attend
ceremonies during the holy week ahead of Easter.
In a homily, Pope Francis earlier urged priests to do less
"soul-searching" and engage more with parishioners.
"It is not in soul-searching… that we encounter the Lord," the Pope
told hundreds of cardinals, priests and bishops in St Peter's
Basilica.
"We need to go out… to the outskirts where there is suffering,
bloodshed, blindness that longs for sight and prisoners in thrall to
many evil masters."
Worshippers should "leave Mass looking as if they had heard good
news", he added.
Foot washing replicates the Bible's account of Jesus Christ's gesture
of humility towards his 12 apostles on the night before he was
crucified
During Thursday's intimate service, Pope Francis washed and kissed the
feet of 12 young detainees to replicate the Bible's account of Jesus
Christ's gesture of humility towards his 12 apostles on the night
before he was crucified.
The 12 prisoners included two girls, one Italian Catholic and one of
Serbian Muslim origin, local prison ombudsman Angiolo Marroni said
ahead of the ceremony.
Some of the prisoners volunteered to have their feet washed, while
others were given an invitation to help them overcome their
embarrassment, the Catholic News Agency quoted the prison chaplain as
saying.
In total, around 10 girls and 40 boys from different nationalities and
diverse religious confessions were taking part in Thursday's Mass at
Casal del Marmo on the outskirts of Rome.
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