Francisco said that he had not let himself kiss the ring "for hygiene"

The pope in one of the moments when he withdrew his hand from the ring / AP

Pope Francis clarified yesterday why he was withdrawing his hand when several people tried to kiss the ring and said he feared that parishioners would catch sprouts.

Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti said the pontiff was preoccupied with hygiene last Monday. After greeting dozens of people in Loreto, he began to withdraw his hand to prevent people from kissing the ring.

A video of the incident became viral and many conservatives criticized Francisco for his "inconsiderate disrespect for tradition and parishioners". But Gisotti said that he had spoken to the Pope yesterday and that Francisco had said that it had nothing to do with it.

"The holy father told me that the reason was simple: hygiene, he wants to avoid the risk of contagion between people, not towards him."

The tradition of kissing the ring of a bishop or pope goes back centuries, as a sign of respect and obedience. Gisotti pointed out that Francisco is happy when small groups of people embrace the ring, because in these situations, the C contagion is happier.