Prisoners get out of jail for special papal Mass

Prisoners from around the world attended a special Mass by Pope Francis on Sunday, hearing him call for society to put more trust in rehabilitation, improved jail conditions and more clemency. The Vatican said about 1,000 prisoners took part in the Mass in St. Peters Basilica. Most were from Italian jails and many of these […]

Prisoners from around the world attended a special Mass by Pope Francis on Sunday, hearing him call for society to put more trust in rehabilitation, improved jail conditions and more clemency.

The Vatican said about 1,000 prisoners took part in the Mass in St. Peters Basilica. Most were from Italian jails and many of these were foreigners. There were also delegations from about 10 other countries, the Vatican said.

They were accompanied by about 3,000 chaplains, guards, ex-prisoners and family members who came to Rome for a day dedicated to prisoners as part of the Catholic Church’s Jubilee year of mercy, which ends later this month.
Two were Mafiosi serving under Italy’s tough special prison regime of solitary confinement for organized crime members, a Vatican official said.