VIDEO: Pope Francis Does Not Allow Believers to Kiss His Hand

International media have focused on the incident in the Italian city of Loreto, where Pope Francis repeatedly attempted to pull his hand away while greeting attendees at a pilgrimage site dedicated to the Virgin Mary, thus preventing believers from kissing his ring.

According to the Daily Mail, Pope Francis has shown several times that he is not in favor of this traditional gesture of respect from believers. The gesture in question is the kissing of the silver ring, which symbolizes the pope's connection to the church.

A representative from the Vatican stated that Pope Francis sometimes appreciates this tradition, but at other times, he does not.