If, on December 31st, you diligently wrote down your resolutions, looked into the mirror and whispered “New Year, new me,” then went out for the night and acted in such a way that demanded an apology the following day, I have some comforting news: you’re not alone. Because, at least when it comes to the last bit, the Pope did the exact same thing.
His New Year’s Eve started uneventfully enough, walking through St. Peter’s Square greeting pilgrims. Typical Pope business. But video captured that evening shows one petite woman waiting eagerly—in retrospect, a little too eagerly—for Pope Francis to pass by. When he did, she grabbed his arm with both hands and fully yanked the 83-year-old pontiff over to her.
The Holy Father swiftly and irritably slapped her hand away, then stormed off looking visibly agitated, which is basically the Papal equivalent of downing two bottles of champagne and then puking in your party host’s monstera fern. The incident immediately made international news, with enough messiness involved that even tabloid bible TMZ covered it. (“POPE FRANCIS Two Quick Slaps … TO LADY WHO CLUTCHED HIS ARM.”)
The Pope’s 2020 kicked off with his annual New Year’s Day address, in which he covered the topic of violence against women and also issued an apology for harshing everyone’s vibes. Or, as he put it: “Many times we lose our patience. I do, too, and I’m sorry for yesterday’s bad example.”