On August 13, 2025, a group of nuns kissed the hand of Pope Leo XIV at St. Peter’s Basilica as they greeted him, bowed, and received the Pope’s smile of approval. Many in Catholic media saw this as a beautiful expression of devotion. The scene, however, tells a deeper and far more troubling story. For those who hold the Bible as the final authority in faith and practice, this display stands in direct contradiction to the plain teaching of Scripture. What Catholics may simply interpret as a respect for the office of the Papacy is, in reality, a medieval tradition with no biblical mandate—and one that dangerously robs God of the honor and reverence that belongs only to Him.
In Catholic tradition, kissing the pope’s ring is seen as an act of unity and submission with the seat of the Papacy. But where in Scripture is such a practice commanded or even hinted at? It is not there. Instead, what we find is a consistent rejection—by prophets, apostles, and even angels—of any bowing, kissing, or homage directed toward them.
Consider the Apostle Peter, who Catholics claim to be the first so-called first Pope. When Cornelius fell at his feet in reverence, “Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man” (Acts 10:25–26). This is the very man Catholics claim as the first pope. If Peter, the one who walked on water and saw the resurrected Christ, refused such treatment, how can his so-called successors permit it?
The Apostle Paul responded the same way in Lystra, when the people tried to honor him and Barnabas as gods. “Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you,” he protested, urging them to turn from “these vanities” to the living God (Acts 14:14–15).
Even the mighty angel in Revelation 19:10 and 22:8–9 refused John’s attempt to bow before him: “See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God.” If heavenly beings themselves forbid such homage, how much more should fallible men reject it?
The Old Testament reinforces this principle. In Exodus 20:3–5, God commands, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” and “Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them.” While Catholics may claim that bowing and kissing the pope’s hand is not worship, the Bible makes clear prohibitions regarding physical acts of homage. The gesture itself—kneeling, bowing, kissing—has historically been associated with veneration, submission, and allegiance. In Daniel 3, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow before Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image, not because they thought the king was God, but because the act of bowing itself crossed the line of loyalty to the true God.
Human traditions have a long history of replacing God’s commands with man-made rules and ceremonies. Jesus rebuked this very tendency when He said, “Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition” (Mark 7:9). The modern Papal system—complete with bows, ring-kissing, and other honors—comes straight out of the medieval apostasies of the church and customs of the pagan Roman Empire, not the teachings of Christ or His apostles.
The act of Pope Leo XIV’s nuns bowing and kissing his ring should trouble every Bible-believing Christian. It is not merely an innocent practice. It is a public statement about putting our faith and trust in man. Scripture warns us in Jeremiah 17:5, “Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.” No man—no matter his position or title—should receive acts of homage that belong to God alone.
If Peter refused such honor, Paul rejected it, angels forbade it, and God commanded against it, by what authority does the pope accept it? The Bible’s answer is clear: none. Acts of bowing and kissing a leader’s hand originate from man-made systems rooted in paganism, replacing the worship of God with the exaltation of man. Scripture warns of a coming apostasy in which church leaders would exalt themselves above God: “Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:4.
Showing respect for faithful leaders is indeed biblical (1 Thessalonians 5:12–13), but offering them reverence or homage is not. Jesus declared that there is only one Master and that all of us are brothers and sisters (Matthew 23:8), and ultimately it is at the name of Jesus alone that every knee will bow and every tongue confess, giving Him all honor and reverence (Philippians 2:10).
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Amen.
“And all the king’s servants, that were in the king’s gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence. ”
Esther 3:2 KJV
Not all bowing is condemned in Scripture. Look up the word “bow” on biblegateway.com and you will find numerous references to good men and women bowing to others beside God. That being said, bowing before the pope is of a whole other character as there is no legitimacy in bowing before a fellow (supposed) believer in such a manner.
The Roman Catholic church is the largest sun cult in the world. The source of origin of Freemasons and Roman catholicism is Egypt the source of sunworship. The Egyptians worshipped the Amun Ra,the Vatican has the largest number of obelisks in the world. These obelisks were brought from Egypt by Pope Sixtus in the 16th century. The obelisks symbolize the sunworship. The pagan priests of dagon wore fish hats. The Roman Catholic Popes wear mitre similar to those of dagon priests.
Simon Magus the Sorcerer was actually the first leader of the Catholic church , contrary to the long held belief that he was the first pope. Simon Magus was rebuked by Peter the Apostle of Jesus Christ for attempting to buy salvation through money. So, he attempted to start his own system of apostate christianity. He then decided to travel to Rome in the year 45 A.D. during the reign of Claudius Augustus, he established a universal church called ”katholou” which is a Greek word for Catholic. He was from the Samaritan origin, Samaritans were not pure Jews because they intermarried with Jews they were polytheistic. Simon Magus brought the syncretic beliefs with mixture of pagan and philosophical beliefs of Greeks and Romans.
The beast of Revelation 13, which John saw, a composite beast which had the Leopard’s body, Lion’s mouth,Bear’s mouth, and the Dragon gave him his power his seat , and great authority. Papacy inherited the pagan practices from the four pagan world empires, from Babylon they inherited the pagan priesthood, Media Persia sun worship, Greece philosophical theories, Roman Empire, inherited the imperial city of Rome, when Emperor Constatine transfered his seat from Rome to Constatinople. This left the City of Rome as the seat of Imperial Bishop of Rome .
papacy inherited the seat that was held once by the ancient Roman Empire.The Pope inherited the titles held by his predecessors such as the Pontifex maximus. He became the most revered political and religious figure in the world. The pope’s ring is reffered as the fishermen’s ring.
So , in conclusion, the Roman Catholic church is the greatest caricature the world has ever seen . It’s the greatest apostate power predicted by paul in the book of (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12). Many people will reject the truth and listen to delusions and believe in them because they did not love the truth.