Holy Thursday Mass Feet Washing. During the Holy Thursday liturgy at our parish there are a number of foot-washing stations set up around the Church and the people in the pews get up and bring someone else to one of the stations and wash their feet. The slave would bring a basin with water and a towel but it would be the guest who would wash his own feet.
However at least from the seventeenth century there were also customs in some places of washing the feet of the poor on Holy Thursday and with the Holy Week reforms of Pope Pius XII it took on a more public role in the evening Mass of that day. Early this lenten season presiding bishop michael b. One of the signature parts of the liturgy during holy week is the traditional feet washing on holy thursday.
During the mass the Pontiff blesses a token amount of oil that will.
That is why he is called to lead the washing of the feet. Archbishop Roches commentary noted that the rite is often referred to as the Mandatum from. During the 20th century the practice had greatly deteriorated. In such cases none of the limitations imposed by the concrete liturgical context of the Holy Thursday Mass need apply.
