[ebb tide]

In a shift from previous papal encounters, the knights came to the Vatican dressed in suit and tie instead of the order’s formal military attire. Festing had worn that attire -- a red uniform with frilled gold epaulettes, normally accompanied by various medals -- in his June 2016 meeting with Francis.

U.S. Cardinal Raymond Burke, the Knights' spiritual patron, was not present for Friday's meeting.

[DesertRhino]

“As Francis greeted Fra’ Giacomo Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto in the antechamber to the papal library, the head knight genuflected before the pope and kissed his ring.”

One of the most absurd things is to see a man, treating another man in such a way. This is a hallmark of European thinking. It isn’t just Catholic.

Thank God that in America we left this Euro-wide mentality behind and became equals before the law and God. That idea is badly damaged here today, and many here think we should revere other humans that way, but we can recover our original unique American concept of citizens being the equal of every leader, and of the leader being a servant.