Pope Francis washed and kissed the feet of 12 prison inmates, including two Muslims and a Buddhist, in a Holy Thursday ritual and said the death penalty should be abolished because it is neither Christian nor humane, Reuters reported.

For the sixth year running, the pope held the ritual in an institution rather than in the splendors of the Vatican or a Rome basilica, as his predecessors did. Conservatives have criticized him for including women and non-Christians in the rite in the past.

Francis wove the sermon of a Mass around the theme of service, saying many wars could have been avoided in history if more leaders had considered themselves servants of the people rather than commanders.