(ANSA) - Vatican City, March 28 - Pope Francis is not
letting people kiss his ring when there are many people wanting
to do so and therefore a risk of spreading germs, Vatican
Spokesman Alessandro Gisotti said Thursday in explaining an
episode on a recent visit to Loreto that went viral on the Web.
Roman Catholics pay respect to the pope by kneeling before
him and kissing his ring - a so-called fisherman's ring that
recalls St Peter's, the founder of the Church and the first
pope.
Pope not letting people kiss ring 'for hygiene reasons'
Gisotti explains Loreto incident that went viral