Pope kisses feet of young offenders in Easter ritual Pope Francis has begun his first Easter as pontiff and as part of the celebrations, he travelled to Casa del Marmo, a youth prison on the outskirts of Rome, where he washed and kissed the feet of 12 inmates. For the first time two women, both Muslim, were included in the ritual. Pope Francis addressed the young before the rite. Among us the one who is highest up must be at the service of others. This is a symbol, it is a sign - washing your feet means I am at your service. The ceremony commemorates Jesus's humility towards his apostles on the night before he died. On Good Friday he is to preside over two services including the "Via Crucis" procession around Rome's Colosseum.