In his first Holy Thursday as pontiff,Pope Leowashed the feet of 12 priests as part of the Catholic Church's events leading up toEaster Sunday.
Pope Leo chose to wash the feet of the priests from the Diocese of Rome – 11 of whom he had ordained last year – as a sign of his mindfulness to the needs of priests, according toThe National Catholic Reporter. In hishomily, Pope Leo also said he hoped the ritual would inspire others to care for each other.
"We tend to consider ourselves powerful when we dominate, victorious when we destroy our equals, great when we are feared. In contrast, as true God and true man, Christ offers us the example of self-giving, service and love," said Leo, whobecame the first U.S. pope in May 2025.
"As humanity is brought to its knees by so many acts of brutality, let us too kneel down as brothers and sisters alongside the oppressed," he said.
Why is Easter celebrated:Here's what to know about the holy day.
The washing of priests' feet was a marked departure from the practice of his predecessorPope Francis, who preferred to hold the service outside churches, usually in prisons, homes for the elderly or hospices, continuing a practice he began as a bishop in Argentina.
Just two weeks after becoming pope in 2013 – afterthe resignation of Pope Benedict XVI– Francis observed Holy Thursday bywashing the feet of inmates in a youth detention center. Some of those inmates were non-Catholics and some were women. No previous pope has ever washed women's feet, notedThe National Catholic Reporter at the time.
Pope Leo's gesture is seen as part of his efforts to ease divisions in the Catholic Church,The New York Times reported.
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Pope Leo has become an outspoken critic ofthe Iran war, citing a Bible passagewhile speaking on Palm Sunday, "(Jesus) does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying: 'Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood'."
Why does the pope wash feet?
Pope Leowashed the feet of 12 priests on April 2, during the Mass of the Lord's Supper at theBasilica of Saint John Lateranin Rome.
"God has given us an example – not of how to dominate, but of how to liberate," said the pope, before bending down to pour water over the feet of the 12 men, one by one, before drying and kissing each one.
The washing of feet harkens back to how Jesus washed the feet of his apostles during the Last Supper. At that last meal before his crucifixion, Jesus also introduced the Eucharist, during which priests preside over the transformation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ.
By washing others' feet, Jesus offers "a moral example" to act as he did and care for others, the pope said in his homily.
"He entrusts to us his very way of life," Pope Leo said. "The washing of the feet is a gesture that encapsulates the revelation of God: an exemplary sign of the Word made flesh, his unmistakable memorial. By taking on the condition of a servant, the Son reveals the Father's glory, overturning the worldly standards that so often distort our conscience."
Contributing: Reuters
Mike Snider is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him atmikegsnider&@mikegsnider.bsky.social&@mikesnider& msnider@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Pope Leo washed 12 priests' feet ahead of Easter. Here's why