On early morning Wednesday, Pope Francis apologized for losing his cool and slapping the hand of a pilgrim who latched onto his hand and wouldn’t let go on New Year’s Eve.
Pope Francis Apologies For His Mistake
While addressing a large congregation of pilgrims in Rome, Italy, Pope Francis expressed great sorrow for his behavior and requested the people to forgive him for his action as he believed that this was not the way a religious head should act.
‘Jesus eradicated hatred and animosity through patience, not by anger teaching we all should adopt. I am only human at the end of the day and am susceptible to make mistakes. I ask for God’s forgiveness and request you to pardon my actions,” The Pope said.
What Happened?
During a new year’s eve meet and greet while his holiness was passing through crown shaking hands, a female pilgrim of Asian origin yanked the Pope’s hands towards herself and started saying something. The Pope, after passing a smile, tried to get free on the female pilgrim’s hands, but she refused, and things went south. The Pope lost his cool and repeatedly slapped the pilgrim hands to get his had free after that, his bodyguards rushed to his aid and took control of the situation.
Public’s Reactions
The Pope’s actions have been getting mixed reactions from the public. The religious head of any religion is viewed as an embodiment of teachings of a religious, so He needs to exercise great caution as his actions may generate a negative image.
The way different people meet and greet each other is different. In some Asian communities, the method of greeting may be viewed by some as a bit too affectionate and hence annoy others.
