Pope Francis celebrated the Chrism Mass this Thursday, March 28, which opens the so-called Easter Triduum of Holy Week. In his long homily, read in a good voice, he asked priests to free themselves from selfishness and ambition, as well as to always forgive and “mourn” for others.
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The mass of this Holy Thursday commemorates the institution of the sacrament of priestly orders by Jesus Christ during the Last Supper and is dedicated to the renewal by the priests of the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, which is why they participated in the ceremony mainly the priests of the diocese of Rome.
In addition, during the ceremony the oils of the catechumens, that of the sick and of the chrism are also blessed, which are used during the year for baptisms, confirmations and anointing of the sick and Francis also blessed the three silver amphorae with these that They will be used in Vatican celebrations.
In recent days, the pope had preferred not to read the prepared speeches, as he became tired due to some breathing problems, but today he delivered the long homily without problems.
The pontiff reflected on the need for “compunction and tears” in the members of the church because “he who is repentant from the heart feels more like a brother to all the sinners of the world, without a hint of superiority or harshness of judgment, but with the desire to love and repair,” he said.
The highest representative of the Catholic Church added that “another characteristic of compunction is solidarity, since a docile heart, liberated by the spirit of the Beatitudes, is naturally inclined to make compunction for others; instead of getting angry or scandalized by the evil that the brothers commit, weep for their sins.
Francis, the first Pope to perform the foot-washing ceremony outside churches
During the service, the first Latin American pope in history, 87, renewed his vows along with thousands of priests in St. Peter's Basilica and blessed the oil paintings that will be used in the church's sacraments.
The Lord does not ask us to pass derogatory judgments on those who do not believe.
Holy Thursday commemorates the day of Jesus' Last Supper with his apostles the night before he died.
“Dear brothers, from us, your pastors, the Lord does not ask us for derogatory judgments about those who do not believe, but for love and tears for those who are far away. The difficult situations that we see and live, the lack of faith, the sufferings that we touch When they come into contact with a broken heart, they do not arouse determination in controversy, but perseverance in mercy,” Francis said.
And he indicated to the priests: “How much we need to free ourselves from resistance and recriminations, from selfishness and ambitions, from rigorism and dissatisfaction, to commend ourselves and intercede before God, finding in Him a peace that saves from any storm. Let us adore, intercede and cry for the the rest”.
🎥HIGHLIGHTS | Pope Francis celebrated the Chrism Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on Holy Thursday. I have blessed the Oil of the Sick, the Oil of Catechumens, and the Chrism Oil, which will be used throughout the diocese of Rome over the coming year. #HolyWeek2024 pic.twitter.com/YdCBkpkMx0
— EWTN Vatican (@EWTNVatican) March 28, 2024
The pope also wanted to thank the priests, “for their open and docile hearts; thank you for their fatigue and their tears” and “for bringing the wonder of God's mercy to the brothers and sisters of our time.”
This Thursday, Francis is also scheduled to preside over a traditional foot-washing ritual in the women's section of a Rome prison.
There he will celebrate the 'Coena domini' mass on Holy Thursday and after the religious ceremony Francis will wash the feet of 12 inmates of this center, as Jesus did to the apostles during the Last Supper.
The pontiff is the first to perform the foot-washing ceremony outside churches. During his papacy, he has generally performed it in prisons, nursing homes or hospices, thus continuing a practice he began when he was archbishop of Buenos Aires.
Francis will also preside over the Good Friday Way of the Cross in front of the Roman Colosseum, which he skipped last year due to the cold, as he was recovering from bronchitis.
On Holy Saturday he will celebrate the Easter Vigil and on Sunday in St. Peter's Square he will celebrate the Mass of Resurrection and the urbi et orbi blessing.
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