In cases it took my breath away as well as chills.

As an aside go to the top of St Peters Basillica… be advised you better have a good ticker, no fears of heights and not allow small spaces to get the better of you..

March 21, 2013. (Romereports.com) In the first month of his Pontificate, the Vatican has announced that Pope Francis will celebrate Holy Thursday Mass with prisoners. On the afternoon of March 28th, the Pope will visit Rome´s Casal del Marmo, which is a jail for minors.

It´s actually the same prison, Benedict XVI visited back in March 18th 2007, when he celebrated Mass in the jail´s chapel.

Holy Thursday marks the Last Supper. It´s also the moment where Jesus washes the feet of his disciples, to teach them about the importance of service and humbleness. In fact, Pope Francis is planning of washing the feet of some of the inmates.

As the archbishop of Buenos Aires, Bergoglio would usually celebrate Holy Thursday Mass in a prison, hospital or with marginalized groups. As Pope, he will continue this tradition.

http://www.romereports.com/palio/pope-will-celebrate-holy-thursday-mass-in-a-juvenile-detention-center-instead-of-vatican-english-9523.html

Newest Papa news is apparently that he is celebrating Holy Thursday Mass at a prison for juvenile offenders rather than at St. Peter’s.

Illinidiva on March 21, 2013 at 11:56 AM

ehemmm….not exactly.

Vatican City, 21 March 2013 (VIS) – On Holy Thursday, 28 March, the Holy Father Francis will celebrate the Chrism Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica in the morning and then, at 5:30pm in the afternoon, will go to celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at the Casal del Marmo youth detention center instead of the Basilica of St. John Lateran, where it had been traditionally held in past years.

Traditionally, during this celebration, priests renew the promises they made when they were ordained. Also, oils that will be used in the Sacraments are blessed.

I have to admit that I have always had an uneasiness about the Vatican’s massive art and real estate holdings… It’s just me, I’m not asking them to change.

Fallon on March 21, 2013 at 11:31 AM

Why is that exactly?

Much of the land holdings were monastic holdings.

Ever consider how much Sacred Art…Churches & Land has been stolen from Catholics worldwide over the centuries?

Hagia Sophia was built by Catholics and is now a Muslim Mosque. They defaced the priceless interior, but couldn’t destroy all of the Christ Pantocrator Mosaics in the Dome.

Canterbury Cathedral was seized and defaced in the destruction of the Monasteries.

Eastern Rite Churches were seized by the Soviets and now the Russian Orthodox refuse to return them to their owners.

Currently historic Churches are under threat and lands are being seized in Africa & the Middle East along with Catholic homes and businesses that are in the communities surrounding these historic churches.

Conservation is labor intensive and expensive.

Basically cleaning those fresco walls repeatedly with a cotton swab and cotton balls.

Currently ancient churches in war zones are being defaced by Muslim insurgents & in Easter Europe & The Balkans Frescoes from as early as the 5th – 8th centuries are being cut out of walls to sell on the black market.

Sacred Art in these Churches are historic and well…Sacred.

Newest Papa news is apparently that he is celebrating Holy Thursday Mass at a prison for juvenile offenders rather than at St. Peter’s.

Illinidiva on March 21, 2013 at 11:56 AM

So, washing the prisoners’ feet (a Holy Thurs Mass thing) probably. That’s awesome :)

There are lots of Catholics registered at Hot Air and many of us are interested in this kind of stuff. Plus Ed’s right that a big topic of conversation lately in churches is, what’s going to happen to the wealth of the Church now that Francis is here?

My two cents = uptwinkles on this one.

Eviva on March 21, 2013 at 11:27 AM

We’re jesting with Ed good naturedly. I think that we have all appreciated his reporting from Roma and all his interviews. (And wish that we had his job.)

I highly doubt that Papa Francisco is going to start auctioning off everything from the Vatican Museum. It seems to me that there are much more pressing issues on his docket. It is obvious that he is going to be alot less formal and break with every single tradition that he can get away with. Newest Papa news is apparently that he is celebrating Holy Thursday Mass at a prison for juvenile offenders rather than at St. Peter’s.

My two cents = uptwinkles on this one.

Clearly I am in the wrong business.