Holy Thursday: Pope washed feet of Christians, Muslims, and Hindu from 8 nations

March 28, 2016

During the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at a refugee center in Castelnuovo di Porto, Pope Francis washed the feet of 12 persons from eight nations.

The 12, according to the Vatican newspaper, included Mohamed Alhalabi, 22, a pastry chef from Syria; Luchia Mesfun, 26, who fled Eritrea and suffered in a Libyan prison; Lucia Yrgalem and Kbra Tesfamicael, also from Eritrea; Khurram Shahzad, from Pakistan; Kunal Sharma, from India; Osma Bole, Endurance Okosum, Shadrach Osahon, and Miminu Bright Osumah, from Nigeria; Sira Madigata, from Mali; and Angela Ferri, the Italian woman who operates the center.

Of the 12, five were Catholic, three were Coptic Christians, three were Muslims, and one was a Hindu. Over half of the 892 refugees at the center are Muslim, and approximately one-quarter are Christian; two are Hindu.

 

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Further information:

• Due bambine di nome Libertà e Speranza (L’Osservatore Romano, p. 7)
• Washing feet of refugees, Pope stresses brotherhood (CWN, 3/24)