Pope Francis
Pope Francis has apologised after he had a difficult encounter with a pilgrim on New Year’s Eve at the Vatican. While the pontiff greeted the large crowd a woman reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling him towards her. The visibly angered pope pulled his hand away as his security intervened. He later apologised saying that “sometimes even I lose patience.”
Pontiff slapped woman's hand away while he was meeting the public in St Peter’s Square.
“You may have mistaken ideas, you may have made a complete mess of things, but the Lord continues to love you," said the 83-year-old Jesuit pope.
He is believed to have been trapped for around 25 minutes this morning.
The document, published during LGBTQ Pride Month, stresses procreation.
Pope Francis issued a landmark decree making bishops directly accountable for sexual abuse or covering it up, requiring clerics to report any cases to Church superiors and allowing anyone to complain directly to the Vatican if needed. The papal change in Church law, covering abuse of children and adults alike, also obliges every diocese worldwide to set up simple, accessible reporting systems and encourages local churches to involve lay experts in investigations.
Everyone from Theresa May to the Pope is being blamed.
“He wants to avoid the risk of contagion for the people, not for him.”
Footage of the Pope refusing worshippers a chance to kiss his papal ring went viral this week. We take a look at the significance of the ring and why his holiness would whip his hand away so mercilessly.
He's the most senior Catholic to be convicted of child sex abuse.