Pope slaps woman’s hand to free himself from her grip

Pope Francis had to slap an admirer’s hand to free himself from her clutches on a walkabout of Saint Peter's plaza.

The pontiff, 83, had greeted children before the Nativity scene on Saint Peter's plaza and was turning away when the woman cried out something, grabbed his hand and almost caused him to fall.

The head of the Catholic church grimaced before managing to break free by slapping the woman's hand twice.

He then continued his tour, walking with some difficulty while maintaining a slightly greater distance from visitors.

He gradually relaxed again as he came into contact with other children.

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