Angry Pope Francis was caught on camera repeatedly slapping a woman on her hand after the observer grabbed his arm and pulled him closer to her.
The incident occurred in St Peter’s Square, Vatican City, where the Pope was greeting worshipers during the New Year’s Eve festivities.
While the 83-year-old let plenty of people touch his hand as he walked right past them, one unnamed woman appeared to be in drastic need of his attention as well as.
After the Pope turned around in order to walk away, the watcher grabbed his arm with both hands and pulled him closer to her.
Unable to get rid of her grip, the Pope used his free hand to slap the woman two times until she let go of him and he was able to walk away.
In addition to the Pope’s slaps on the hand, a member of the security was also seen intervening and restraining the observer after the Pope managed to break free.
Following a massive backlash over the Pope’s reaction, the 83-year-old apologized and admitted he lost patience.
“Love makes us patient. So many times, we lose patience, even me, and I apologize for yesterday’s bad example,” Pope Francis said.
“Women are sources of life. Yet they are continually insulted, beaten, raped, forced to prostitute themselves and to suppress the life they bear in the womb. Every form of violence inflicted upon a woman is a blasphemy against God, who was born of a woman.”
While the bizarre incident sparked some major debates on the internet, this isn’t the first time the Pope got upset over reactions of worshipers who came to see him.
Previously, Pope Francis swiftly removed his hand when worshipers attempted to land a kiss on his papal ring.
After the incident was caught on camera, Vatican explained that The Holy Father “wants to avoid the risk of contagion for the people.”
Despite the explanation, the decision to not let worshipers kiss his papal ring caused a major backlash.
“It’s a grace for the faithful to be able to show respect for the office of the Pope by kissing the papal ring. It’s not about the Pope, it’s about the faithful,” Catholic priest Kevin Cusick explained in a Twitter post.
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Replaced!