PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Church leaders in Maine didn’t let unseasonably cool weather deter them from washing the feet of individuals, hearkening back to the biblical act of humility.
The ceremony was held outdoors with the temperature near 37 degrees at noon Thursday in Monument Square in Portland.
Church leaders poured water over people’s feet and dried them with a towel, mimicking a biblical scene where Jesus Christ washes the feet of his disciples.
Personal stories of some of the participants, including immigrants and homeless individuals, were read aloud during the service in several languages including Spanish, French and Arabic. In 1955, Pope Pius XII restored the practice as a part of a general reform to encourage charity work and raise awareness of struggling individuals.
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