The head of the Catholic Church Pope Francis has finally broken his silence on a viral video that showed him slapping the hand of a woman in a fit of anger.
Speaking on Wednesday, the 83-year-old tendered his apology, saying that his reaction towards the woman set a bad example.
He said that he was human, explaining that the incident had been sparked by a loss of patience.
"We lose patience many times. It happens to me too. I apologise for the bad example given yesterday, " said the Pope.
The video was widely shared on social media platforms, inspiring scores of memes.
Pope had been in the process of meeting a Nativist display when the incident happened, the Times reported.
At the centre of it is a woman who was seen making the sign of the cross before grabbing the hand of the head of the Catholic church, who appeared not too pleased by the gesture.
Delivering his New Year homily in St. Peter's Basilica, Francis bemoaned the hardship that women were grappling with in a capitalistic world.
He lavished praise on women describing them as mediators of peace.
Social media users sympathised with the pope after his personal apology, France 24 posted on its portal.