Pope: Sorry I lost patience with hand-shaker who yanked me

Associated Press
Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020 6:03 p.m. | Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020 6:03 p.m.

Pope Francis kisses a statue of Baby Jesus as he presides over a Mass for the solemnity of St. Mary at the beginning of the new year, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020.

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Pope Francis presides over a Mass for the solemnity of St. Mary at the beginning of the new year, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020.

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Pope Francis recites the Angelus prayer from his studio’s window overlooking St. Peter’s square at the Vatican, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020.

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Pope Francis presides over a Mass for the solemnity of St. Mary at the beginning of the new year, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020.

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis has apologized for hitting the hand of a well-wisher who grabbed him and yanked him toward her.

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 while he was strolling in the square Tuesday night to admire the Vatican’s Nativity scene.

Cameras captured the scene when the woman, from behind a barrier, reached out and grabbed the pope’s hand, pulling him violently toward her. Francis reacted sharply, exclaimed something and then slapped her hand so she would let him go. Frowning in anger, he turned and strode away.

Pope Francis apologized for slapping a woman's arm when she pulled him toward her after grabbing his hand. He said he lost his patience and set a 'bad example' https://t.co/2iuOnEW1AB pic.twitter.com/8ib2yPsGic

— Reuters (@Reuters) January 1, 2020

In his impromptu remarks Wednesday, 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 Tuesday.