Pope Francis has set the record straight about why he pulled his hand away when throngs of people lined up this week to kiss his ring: for fear of spreading germs. Gisotti said on Thursday he had just spoken to the Pope about it, and Francis replied that it was nothing of the sort. "The Holy Father told me that the motivation was very simple: hygiene," Gisotti told reporters. The tradition of kissing the ring of a bishop or pope goes back centuries, as a sign of respect and obedience. Several bent down to kiss his ring, and Francis patiently allowed it.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 28, 2019 21:11 UTC