Pope's gesture to refugees seen as vital sign of welcome

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Thursday presided at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper beginning the Triduum, or three days, that culminate in the Easter Vigil and the celebration of Our Lord’s Resurrection on Sunday.

This year, the Pope chose to celebrate Our Lord’s Supper with the traditional washing of the feet at a temporary welcome centre for refugees and asylum-seekers located on the northern outskirts of Rome.

His decision to wash the feet of the refugees has been welcomed by many activists and human rights groups calling for a political solution to the migrant crisis in Europe.

Argentinean Oscar Soria is senior media campaigner with the online activist movement Avaaz, which will be presenting a petition with over a million signatures to a UNHCR meeting in Geneva next week.

Soria told Philippa Hitchen he believes the Pope’s gesture sends a very important message to world leaders attending next week’s summit.

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