[CynicalBear]

Yeah right, and Catholics want us to believe that the Aarti is nothing more then like a handshake or other greeting. NONSENSE, it’s a pagan ritual.

Aarti, also spelled arathi, aarthi (from the Sanskrit term Aaraatrik) is a Hindu religious ritual of worship, a form of puja, in which light from wicks soaked in ghee (purified butter) or camphor is offered to one or more deities. Aartis also refer to the songs sung in praise of the deity, when offering of lamps is being offered.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aarti

The word “aarti” has been derived from the Rig Veda, one of the earliest Hindu scriptures,

http://festivals.iloveindia.com/aartis/

The Pope was accepting a Hindu pagan mark and you can’t dance around and change that fact.

[Cronos]

Firstly -- do you know anything about Shaivite priest? If you did you would know that there is no such thing as a female Shaivite pujari/purohit

Secondly, this was a Christian Indian woman -- is she wrong because she was wearing an Indian dress (a sari)?

[Cronos]

It originated as a Hindu ritual yes, but if you go to India you will see this now done as a form of giving thanks, like when they buy a new Maruti Suzuki. It's not to a particular deity, nor is it to worship the car, but to give thanks to whichever god the person wants.

In this case, the Aarti, the worship was to Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.

so, here an Indian Christian woman wearing an Indian dress (a sari) -- not some non-existent shiva priestess (a non-existent concept) -- she was worshipping Christ using an Indian ritual and after that she greets the pope.