“The vast majority of Catholics in those days never had the opportunity to lay eyes on the Popes let alone be fed sound bites regarding their daily utterances. Contrast that with the cultivation of celebrity status by recent pontiffs in the mass communications era, which has resulted in the inevitable cult of personality surrounding them. The cult of personality blurs the line between traditional Church teachings and the personal opinions and behaviors of Popes (e.g. kissing Koran, beachball on altar, clown nose on Pope).”
Sorry, but your comment is meaningless. Popes were shown far greater admiration in days past than nowadays. It’s just that simple.
Of course it is, if one ignores historical reality.