Shock Video Shows Pope Francis Repeatedly Slapping Woman Seeking His Attention, Refusing To Let Go Of His Hand

Pope Francis had a strange series of exchanges Tuesday night at the Vatican City while greeting pilgrims who had come to watch him pray, and shake his hand, in front of the Nativity Scene, an iconic setting of the Mother and Father of baby Jesus, laid in a manger and surrounded by animals.

The Pope tweeted after the event, “First Vespers and Te Deum in thanksgiving for the past year” and made no mention of the confusing and shocking set of interactions with his followers at the rope line which had unfolded earlier.

He had tweeted an uplifting message early in the morning, “It is beautiful to stand before the nativity scene, and there to entrust our lives to the Lord, to speak to Him about the people and situations we care about, to take stock with Him of the year that is ending, to share our expectations and concerns.”

However, he was not prepared for the woman at the line who reached out to him, and seemed to be pleading with him, while she grasped for and held his hand, even while being repeatedly shoved away by the Pope.

Shown here, the Pope is angry and frustrated after first greeting a fallen child, and shaking hands with people, and then growing increasingly angry at another woman and striking her for reaching out and taking his forearm and hand.