Pope Francis apologises after smacking woman's hand to free himself from her grip

Pope Francis has apologised for smacking a woman's hand 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.

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.

Cameras captured the scene when the woman, from behind a barrier, reached out and grabbed the pope's hand, pulling him violently toward her.

He became visibly upset and began slapping the woman's hand in an attempt to free himself from her grip, and he briefly shouted at the woman.

Prior to the incident, the woman had made a sign of the cross. She addressed the 83-year-old pope as she took his hand but it's unclear what she was trying to tell him.