Pope Francis news 2015: Pontiff washes feet of prison inmates in Rome

Pope Francis marked Holy Thursday this year by washing the feet of 12 male and female inmates of a detention facility in Rome.

The Roman Catholic pontiff went to the Rebibbia Prison on Thursday to celebrate the Mass of Our Lord's Supper for around 700 inmates there of different faiths, according to Vatican Radio.

Some 300 prisoners joined the Pope inside the detention center's chapel, while another 400, including volunteers and prison staff, heard the Holy Mass outside through maxi screens.

Maria Ponce de Leon, a longtime volunteer at the Rebibbia Prison, said the inmates were "fizzling with excitement and enthusiasm" even before the Pope's visit.

As part of the Mass of Our Lord's Supper, which commemorated Jesus Christ's final meal with His disciples before his crucifixion, Pope Francis knelt in front of and washed the feet of six male and six female inmates, according to a report from ABC News.

The Telegraph, for its part, reported that among the inmates whose feet were washed by Pope Francis was a former showgirl who was jailed for fraud and using stolen credit cards. 

The former starlet, identified as 42-year-old Silvy Lubamba, supposedly appeared on various Italian television and in gossip magazines before ending up in jail.

The Jesuit pontiff also reportedly washed the feet of a woman who gave birth in prison, as well as the feet of her baby.

Last year, Pope Francis washed of the elderly and those with disabilities in a rehabilitation center. He washed the feet of juvenile delinquents the year prior.