The Liturgy Question: Washing Feet of Females at Holy Thursday Mass
The Liturgy Question: Washing Feet of Females at Holy Thursday Mass
Question
Please, what do the new reforms of the liturgy say as far as washing the feet of women is concerned? (Fr. J, Ghana)
Brief Response
1. It is now allowed for women to be included in the feet-washing rite, just as it’s done for men. The change was made by the Vatican’s Liturgy Office in January 2016 in a decree approved by Pope Francis.
2. It is, however, not compulsory; as if it is required for the valid celebration of the rite. The new decree also noted the optional nature of the rite. Holy Thursday Mass can be validly celebrated without performing the rite. This became obvious during the COVID-19 era when the Vatican instructed that it should be omitted at the Holy Thursday Mass.
3. Here, we should remember that the rite was originally performed by the diocesan bishop in his cathedral, where he washed the feet of some of his priests. It was later adopted for the Holy Thursday Mass in the parishes. This explains why it has always remained in the Holy Thursday liturgy as an optional rite.
4. This optionality is reflected in the new extension to wash the feet of women. Because of this, a bishop (local ordinary) can decree that the new extension may not be implemented in his diocese. As the chief liturgist of his diocese, the bishop interprets the implementation of liturgical gestures that do not affect the validity of the liturgy, for his diocese.
5. Here, let me mention that though Pope Francis issued the decree to add women and he himself washed the feet of women in his Holy Thursday celebrations, the current Pope, Leo XIV, however, in his first papal Holy Thursday Mass (02.04.2026) did not add women to the feet-washing rite; he limited it to only men (12 priests of the diocese of Rome). Again, this is a demonstration that the new decree to add women is not compulsory.
6. The option of including women, though now a universally accepted liturgical norm, is a decision left to the individual priest who performs the rite. This means that if the celebrant is not “comfortable” with it or has some particular “sensibilities” in washing a woman’s feet, he can always avoid that.
7. In sum, the inclusion of females in the feet-washing rite is now official and allowed in the liturgy of Holy Thursday. However, the priest celebrant is not compelled to implement it.
Thank you. Please pray for me.
© Ask The Catholic Priest
