Following a request by Pope Francis, the Vatican has issued a decree specifying that the Holy Thursday foot-washing ritual be open to "all members of the people of God," including women and girls.

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis on Thursday overturned centuries of tradition that banned women from a foot-washing service during Lent, upsetting conservatives and delighting women's rights activists.

(CNN) — Pope Francis on Thursday has washed the feet of 12 women at a prison in Rome during a ceremony emphasizing humility. It is the first time the pope has washed the feet of women only during the ...

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Pope Francis attends a visit to the RomeÕs ...

Pope Francis has changed the rules so that a priest may wash the feet of women and others in the community and not just men, as church law had previously decreed. The change, announced Jan. 20, ...