Would you kiss Pope's ring?

[Rev. Rye]

Every man/woman has their price, I suppose.  Professor Stephen Hawking knelt before Pope John Paul II.

Before he was confined to a wheelchair, I presume.

From what I understand of the timeline of Hawking's physical deterioration, I'm fairly certain it would have been physically impossible for him to kneel by the time John Paul II became the pope.

And, on second thought, maybe I wouldn't kiss the ring, even if he did a good Brando impression. Maybe I'd just do this to the ring: