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Kiss for world peace? Pope and Imam lock lips in bizarre photograph No lips locked! Pope & Imam’s ‘kiss for peace’ more innocent than it seems
(about 3 hours later)
After calling for world peace Pope Francis and Grand Imam Sheikh Ahmed Al Tayeb ruffled religious feathers when they locked lips at an inter-religious meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on Monday. A picture of what, from the first glance, looks to be a kiss on the lips between Pope Francis and Grand Imam Sheikh Ahmed Al Tayeb has caused a stir online – but the act was more of a peck on the cheek than a full-blown smooch.
The religious leaders had just signed a document about fighting extremism and decided a smooch was the perfect way to celebrate. At an inter-religious meeting in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, the two religious leaders celebrated the signing of a document on fighting extremism together with an embrace – and a kiss.
People were taken aback at the sight of two male religious leaders kissing in a country where public displays of affection are forbidden, not to mention same sex relationships, which are punished with jail, beatings, torture and even deportation for non-citizens. Many observers, seeing a picture of the event published by Reuters, believed the moment was just a tad too intimate, with the Pope and the Imam all but locking lips in front of onlookers. Social media users snickered, suggested the two “get a room” and mocked the image in light of both religions’ scriptures concerning homosexuality, as well as the UAE’s strictness on public displays of affection.
Many on social media thought the papal peck was hilarious, although someone questioned the accuracy of the kiss, showing another shot from the day which looked more like they were kissing on the cheek.
This isn’t the first time a pope and an imam were shown kissing on the lips. In 2011, Benetton caused uproar when it created advertisements appearing to show Pope Benedict XVI smooching Imam el Tayyeb. The photos were doctored and part of a larger campaign but the Vatican got the ads pulled nonetheless.
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However, as other images from the event reveal, the initial Reuters picture was likely just a matter of getting caught at an inopportune moment. The two would, moments later, transition into a more prim cheek-rub.
Editor’s note: RT was among those taken in by the initial image, reporting that the Pope and the Imam “locked lips.” The article was amended after an alert from our readers.