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Pope Leo XIV Revives Tradition with Holy Thursday Mass

4/3/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Pope Leo XIV, the leader of the Catholic Church, celebrated his first Holy Thursday Mass on April 2, 2026, at the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome.
He washed the feet of 12 priests, signaling a return to tradition after Pope Francis' practice of washing feet for inmates and marginalized groups.
The ceremony marks the start of the Easter Triduum, the Christian period leading to Easter Sunday.

History

Historical Context

In 1955, Pope Pius XII reformed the Holy Thursday liturgy, moving the Mass of the Lord's Supper to the evening and incorporating the washing of feet, a ritual symbolizing humility. This change aimed to revive ancient practices and reinforce the Church's traditions amid modernity. Pope Leo XIV's recent return to these rituals reflects ongoing tensions within the Catholic Church between tradition and contemporary values.

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Story summary

Pope Leo XIV, the leader of the Catholic Church, celebrated his first Holy Thursday Mass on April 2, 2026, at the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome.
He washed the feet of 12 priests, signaling a return to tradition after Pope Francis' practice of washing feet for inmates and marginalized groups.
The ceremony marks the start of the Easter Triduum, the Christian period leading to Easter Sunday.

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