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Q&A

Why does the pope kiss the ground after he disembarks from an airplane?

Catholic Answers Staff

Question:

Why does the pope kiss the ground after he disembarks from an airplane? My friend considers this practice to be nothing but superstition.

Answer:

Your friend is reading too much into the gesture. The act of kissing the ground of a country one has just set foot upon, whether done by the pope or any other world leader, isn’t superstitious. It’s merely a way of expressing love and respect for the country and its people.

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