Pope Francis apologized Wednesday for smacking the hand of a woman who yanked him toward her as he greeted a crowd in St. Peter’s Square.

Video from the New Year’s Eve incident showed Francis, 83, smiling and clasping hands with people behind a barrier as he made his way toward the Vatican’s Nativity scene. A woman crosses herself as the pope approaches her, and when he begins to turn away, she grabs his hand and pulls him sharply toward her. —USA



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