Need a website or online shop for your business? GetYourSite builds them from $24.99/month. Any small business · Half price for the first year, normally $49.99/month · Get 50% off

ChurchPages

What Is Foot Washing in Christian Worship?

Foot washing is a Christian worship rite used in some churches, where people wash another person’s feet in remembrance of Jesus and as a sign of humble service.

Church Glossary · Worship service & liturgy · Updated November 5, 2026

Foot washing

Foot washing is a Christian worship rite in which one person washes and dries another person’s feet. Rooted in Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet, it is a visible sign of humility, service, equality, and readiness for ministry. Some Protestant churches call it an ordinance; Roman Catholics use the rite on Holy Thursday.

What does foot washing mean?

The scriptural basis is John 13:1-17, where Jesus washes the disciples’ feet during the Last Supper. Peter objects, and Jesus uses the act to teach about humble service. The rite represents the call to serve one another without pride or status. In Roman Catholic teaching, the “mandatum,” Latin for “commandment,” refers to Jesus’ command to love one another in John 13:34. It is not one of the seven sacraments.

In many Baptist, Churches of Christ, and other Protestant settings, foot washing is an ordinance: a commanded or authorized act of worship that expresses service.

Which churches practice foot washing?

Roman Catholic parishes include the mandatum within the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday. A bishop or priest washes the feet of people chosen to represent the apostles. The Byzantine-rite Eastern Orthodox tradition also provides a Holy Thursday foot-washing rite involving the bishop and clergy.

Many Protestant churches also observe it, including Baptist, Churches of Christ, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Anglican and Episcopal, Methodist, Mennonite, Brethren, and some nondenominational congregations. Some schedule it on Holy Thursday, also called Maundy Thursday in many Protestant calendars; others hold a separate service on another evening or Sunday.

How is foot washing performed?

A basin or tub of water, towels, and sometimes oil are placed where everyone can see. A minister, deacon, or other participant bends or kneels to wash and dry another person’s feet, often while the congregation sings or prays. Protestant services may involve several pairs, so clergy and laypeople wash one another’s feet. The order of service differs by congregation.

Participants usually remove shoes and socks before their feet are washed. Because the rite can involve kneeling and bare feet, anyone with a mobility or health concern can ask the service leader about a chair or another way to take part.

Foot washing often occurs before or after Communion because Jesus’ actions at the Last Supper connect the two. In some congregations, it also marks baptism, membership, or ordination.

What should a visitor expect?

Foot washing is not part of every Christian service, and attending does not require a visitor to take part. If it is announced, follow the leader’s directions; you may help carry the basin, hold towels, sing, or simply observe. A church’s bulletin or order of service often gives the timing. To understand what a local church means by the rite, ask a pastor or visitor host before or after the service. The guide to attending church for the first time can also help with other unfamiliar customs.

Frequently asked questions

Is foot washing a sacrament?

No. Foot washing is not one of the seven sacraments recognized by Roman Catholics, and Orthodox Christians do not count it among the Holy Mysteries. Many Baptists, Churches of Christ, and other Protestants call it an ordinance rather than a sacrament, emphasizing that it is a commanded or authorized act of the church.

Does a church require foot washing for membership?

Usually membership rules do not require it, but some congregations make foot washing part of membership, baptism, or commissioning. The expectation is stated in that church’s doctrine and practices. Before joining, ask what the rite means there and whether participation is expected.

Why do some churches wash feet during Communion?

Because Jesus’ Last Supper included both foot washing and the meal later called Communion, churches connect the actions to the same night. Foot washing highlights servant leadership, while Communion remembers Christ’s sacrifice. The sequence and theological emphasis can differ among Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant congregations.

Related terms

All terms
  • Maundy Thursday Maundy Thursday is the Christian observance on the Thursday before Easter, associated with the Last Supper, Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet, and, in some traditions, the beginning of the Easter Triduum.
  • Ordinance An ordinance is a church-administered religious rite or ceremony; many Protestant churches use the term especially for baptism and the Lord’s Supper, while Jewish communities also use it for commanded religious laws and practices.
  • Mass Mass is the Roman Catholic Church’s principal form of communal worship, centered on the Eucharist and including Scripture readings, prayers, the consecration of bread and wine, and Communion.
  • Sacrament A sacrament is a solemn Christian rite through which a church teaches that God’s grace is given or affirmed, often tracing the rite to Jesus Christ.
  • Order of Service An order of service is a church’s printed or announced sequence for a worship service, showing worshipers what will happen, what will be said or sung, and when to stand, sit, or kneel.