Pope Benedict to wash laymen's feet on Holy Thursday

Setting a precedent?

Vatican, Apr. 12 (CWNews.com) - Pope Benedict XVI will wash the feet of 12 laymen, rather than priests, during the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday.

The washing of feet, a regular part of the Holy Thursday liturgy, has traditionally been done for a group of priests representing the 12 apostles, whose feet Christ washed. But this year, the office of pontifical liturgies has announced, Pope Benedict will perform the gesture for a group of laymen, "members of different associations and lay movements" in the Rome diocese.