Pope and Bernie Sanders meet in brief Vatican encounter

Pope Francis says he briefly greeted U.S. presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and the two shook hands, and he describes the encounter as a sign of good manners, "nothing more."

The pope says it wasn't evidence that he was getting mixed up in American politics.

Pope Francis says Sanders -- along with Sanders' wife and another couple -- were in the lobby of the Vatican hotel where the pope lives, when he left for a trip to Greece on Saturday morning.

The Pope told reporters traveling back to the Vatican with him that he decided to greet Sanders and the others because it was the polite thing to do.

The Pope says, "When I came down, I greeted them, shook their hands and nothing more. It's good manners."

He then added with a laugh: "If someone thinks that greeting someone means getting mixed up in politics, they should see a psychiatrist."

Sanders told reporters that it was an honor to meet Pope Francis.

The presidential candidate called him one of "the extraordinary figures, not only in the world today, but in modern history."

Sanders said he does not agree wth the Pope's views on issues, such as abortion and same-sex marriage, but he says the two men are on the same page, as far as economic injustice and climate change.