you really know nothing about the Catholic church do you?? Catholics do not bow to the pope as a man, we bow to his position as vicar of Christ, as the representative of Christ on earth. A soldier does not salute a general because he is John Smith...they salute his EARNED office.
the Pope is a man, he is the bishop of Rome, he was elected by his peers to be pope, he is as human as you and I and is subject to every weaakness that we are.
You may now kiss my ring.