Pope Francis has used his New Year message to denounce violence against women, hours after slapping a woman’s hand to free himself from her grip.
“Women are sources of life. Yet they are continually insulted, beaten, raped, forced to prostitute themselves and to suppress the life they bear in the womb,” the Pontiff told worshipers gathered at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on Wednesday.
“Every form of violence inflicted upon a woman is a blasphemy against God, who was born of a woman.”
Shortly before beginning his traditional New Year’s Day address, the Pope said he was sorry for smacking a woman’s hand the previous day, to free himself from her grip.
“I apologize for the poor example yesterday,” he said, going off-script before the sermon on violence.
Source : CNN
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