Pope Francis has revealed the reason why he pulled his hand away when dozens of people lined up this week to kiss his ring.
Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti said that Francis was concerned about spreading germs while greeting well-wishers in a lengthy receiving queue in Loreto on Monday.
Footage showing the pontiff pulling his hand away to discourage people from kissing his ring went viral, with conservative critics blasting what they said was Francis’ disrespect for the tradition.
Mr Gisotti insisted Francis is more than happy to receive the greeting in small groups, as he did on Wednesday when plenty of people kissed his ring during his general audience.
He added: “The Holy Father told me that the motivation was very simple: hygiene.
“He wants to avoid the risk of contagion for the people, not for him.”
The tradition of kissing the ring of a bishop or pope goes back centuries, as a sign of respect and obedience.
