Reason why Pope Francis washed and kissed people’s feet as he broke major tradition before death

Following the announcement of Pope Francis' death on Easter Monday, people across the world have been reflecting on his role as head of the Catholic Church and the decisions he made during the time he held the position.

Pope Francis, who was appointed the role in 2013, was known for his progressive reforms and for taking a stance on a number of issues, which were often considered to be controversial at times.

For example, last year Pope Francis made headlines after he washed the feet of 12 women at a prison in Rome.

It was the first time he chose to wash the feet of only women during the service, which takes place on the Thursday before Easter.

Over the years, Pope Francis has also washed the feet of prisoners, refugees, the homeless and people with disabilities. However, Pope Francis' predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, only washed the feet of men initially, before switching to just priests.

In a break from tradition, Pope Francis changed this when he became pontiff to include women in the ceremony.

Foot washing is a tradition that is practiced in the Roman Catholic Church on Maundy Thursday - the day before Good Friday.

According to Britannica, it was introduced by the early Christian church to imitate the selfless love of Jesus, who washed the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper, the night before he was crucified.

Last year, Pope Francis chose to wash the feet of only women (Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)

"In 2016 Pope Francis changed the Roman Missal to permit the washing of the feet of women and himself washed the feet of migrant men and women from a variety of faiths for that year’s Maundy Thursday service at an asylum centre outside Rome," the site explains.

"In several European countries the monarchs or members of the royal family washed the feet of poor people and gave them gifts on Maundy Thursday. The royal practice was continued for a time in England after the Reformation but ended in the Church of England in 1754."

While it is not clear who will be appointed as Pope Francis' successor, the voting process is likely to last between 15 and 20 days in what is known as a papal conclave.

The decision will be made by the College of Cardinals - a select group of over 200 senior cardinals chosen by successive Popes - who will vote four times per day until a candidate receives a major two-thirds of the vote.

Pope Francis passed away on Monday (Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)

And while there is no legal age limit when it comes to the important role, one thing is certain - it has to be a man.

Pietro Parolin, 70, from Italy, is thought to be a top contender, and was a close friend to Francis. He has been the Vatican's secretary of state since 2013 when Francis was elected, and is reliable and trustworthy.

Luis Antonio Tagle, 67, from the Philippines, is also set to be highly thought of in decision making. He is the former archbishop of Manila, and being elected would make him the first ever Asian pope.

Peter Turkson, 76, from Ghana, could also be in the running, and would be the first Black pope for centuries.