The mystery of the pope to kiss his ring is resolved: he does not want germs

"It was a simple matter of hygiene," Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti told reporters after directly questioning the pontiff. Gisotti explained that there were many people in the line and that the pope did not want to spread germs, while one after another repeatedly kissed his hand in short intervals.

Monday's images became viral in social networks and quickly became the subject of discussion in the well-known cultural wars between conservative and progressive Catholics.

A conservative Web site that often criticizes Argentine religious called the episode "disturbing" and another said that the pope should resign if he did not like these rituals. "He likes to kiss people and they hug him," Gisotti said.

The spokesman said the pope allowed people to kiss his hand and ring in limited numbers, as he had done with an elderly Italian nun in Wednesday's general audience, when Francisco l & rsquo; Has been rewarded for his decades of service to the poor in Africa. A narrow papal adviser said that Francisco "enjoyed" the controversy that had arisen.