Pope Francis has apologized for slapping the hand of a woman who grabbed him and pulled him off balance at a New Year’s Eve event in St Peter’s Square.
In a video of the incident, the woman can been seen making the sign of a cross while Pope Francis greets a nearby child. As pope turns to move on she grabs his hand, briefly pulling him off balance as she forcibly pulls him towards her.
When the woman doesn’t let go, Pope Francis slaps the woman hand to break her grip.
In his New Year’s wishes to the public in St. Peters Square on Wednesday, Francis confessed losing his patience with the woman while he was strolling in the square Tuesday night to admire the Vatican’s Nativity scene.
“Love makes us patient, at times we lose our patience-me too. And I am sorry for the bad example I gave yesterday”, the Pope said.
