VATICAN CITY, March 28: For the first time in his 23 years as head of the Catholic Church, Pope John Paul II was unable on Thursday to take part in a ritual washing of feet as part of one of the Church’s most sacred ceremonies: the Easter commemoration of Christ’s Last Supper.

The 81-year-old pope remained sitting as the Vatican’s secretary of state, Cardinal Angelo Sodano and French Cardinal Roger Etchegaray symbolically washed the feet of 12 priests during an annual commemoration of Christ’s humility towards his apostles.

He remained seated throughout the mass, rising only to deliver the gospel and for the veneration of the host, which Christians believe is the moment when priests, through the powers given by Christ at the Last Supper, change symbolic bread and wine into His body and blood.

The pontiff has become increasingly immobilised by Parkinson’s Disease and, more recently, by an arthritic right knee.

He appeared tired at the beginning of mass in St Peter’s basilica as he co-celebrated mass with cardinals and bishops to commemorate one of the holiest events of the Christian calendar: the meal that according to the scriptures Jesus Christ took with his disciples on the night before his crucifixion.

He restricted himself to reading from the liturgy and delivering his homily, on the mystery of the death and resurrection of Christ, from his throne.

John Paul II had been warmly welcomed into the vast basilica packed with faithful, many of whom stretched to try to touch him as he was wheeled down the central aisle atop a specially-made platform.

Earlier Thursday, the pope began an arduous four-day series of annual ceremonies marking Easter, the holiest week of the Christian calendar.

He faces the ritual Stations of the Cross ceremony on Good Friday, when Christians mark Christ’s journey to his crucifixion.—AFP