On New Year’s Eve, Pope Francis was walking through St Peter’s Square in Vatican City to visit a large Nativity display, he passed by a large group of devotees who were standing to see him. As the pontiff shook hands with many of them and then turned away, one woman grabbed him and pulled him towards the barrier.
And even though the 83-year-old Pope Francis tried to walk away she held on. An irritated Pope Francis slapped her hand before wrenching his arm free and walking away. The Pope also said something, but it wasn’t clear whether he was addressing the woman.
Watch the video here:
Prior to the incident, the woman was seen making a sign of the cross and was seen saying something to Pope Francis as she took his hand, but it’s unclear what she was trying to tell him, said a CNN report.
The Pope later apologized for his actions. In his new year’s wishes to the public in St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday, Francis confessed to losing his patience with the woman.
Francis said “so many times we lose patience. Me, too.“ He then added “I say `excuse me’ for the bad example“ he gave in the incident.