The Gospel of John records Jesus washing his disciples’ feet before the crucifixion.
John 13 places the foot-washing during a meal before the Passover festival. Jesus removes his outer clothing, wraps a towel around himself, pours water into a basin, and washes the disciples’ feet. When Peter objects, Jesus explains that the act has a meaning beyond ordinary washing.
Jesus then tells the disciples that they should follow his example and serve one another. The scene functions as a dramatic lesson in humility, leadership, and service. John does not present the bread-and-wine institution in the same form as the Synoptic Gospels, making the foot-washing especially prominent in its account of the final meal.
Foot-washing later became a Christian ritual in some communities, although practices vary. The Gospel that explicitly narrates Jesus performing the act is John.