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August 31, 2013
Breaking protocol and expressing his unique humility, Pope Francis today bowed before Queen Rania of Jordon, who was visiting the Vatican with her husband, King Abdullah II.
It will not go unnoticed that Queen Rania is a Muslim. In his five months as pontiff, Francis has washed the feet of at least one Muslim woman and has now bowed before a Muslim queen. Francis made no discernable bow toward her husband, the king.
His acts of humility offer the world a unique kind of inter-faith dialogue. A Vatican official later was reported to have said, "Pope Francis is not interested in protocol."
