Pope Francis doesn’t want anyone getting the wrong idea about his short meeting with Democratic presidential contender Bernie Sanders.
Sanders had a brief exchange with the pope Saturday in the lobby of his residence, but according to an Associated Press report on ABC News, the pope told reporters that the encounter should not be taken as any more than ‘good manners.’
“This morning when I left, Sen. Sanders was there,” the Associated Press reported the pope said. “He knew I was leaving at that time and I had the kindness to greet him and his wife.”
According to the AP and Reuters, the pope discussed the details of the Sanders meeting with reporters Saturday as he was traveling to Greece where he planned to meet with refugees. Sanders had reported the meeting was the highlight of his trip to the Vatican, which he was visiting for a conference on economic equality.
At first, because of the pope’s scheduled trip to Greece, it was unclear if Sanders would get to actually meet Pope Francis. After the meeting, the pope tried to make it clear that his quick meeting was not any kind of political endorsement.
“This is good manners. It’s called good manners and not getting mixed up in politics. If anyone thinks that greeting someone means getting involved in politics, they should see a psychiatrist,” the AP reported the pope said.
