
A visibly indignant Pope Francis had to pull himself away from a woman in a crowd in St Peter's Square today after she grabbed his hand and yanked him towards her.

Pope Francis was walking through St Peter's Square in Vatican City and greeting pilgrims on his way to see the large Nativity scene set up in the huge, cobbled esplanade.

After reaching out to touch a child, the pope turned away from the crowd only for a nearby woman to seize his hand and pull her towards him. The abrupt gesture appeared to cause him pain and Francis swiftly wrenched his hand free.

The woman had made the sign of the cross as the pope had approached. It was not clear what she was saying as she subsequently tugged him towards her.

The pope looked very upset after the incident today in St Peter's Square

Francis, 83, reached out to touch a child when the woman (pictured shaking the Pope's hand) pulled him close

Pope Francis is pictured after fighting to release himself from the grip of a female pilgrim who tried to pull him closer today in St Peter's Square

Apart from the brief upset, Pope Francis' stroll delighted most tourists and Romans.

Shouts of 'Pope! Pope!' and 'Happy New Year!' resounded as families rushed to catch a glimpse of him or thrust out their infant in hopes he would pat their heads or pinch their cheeks.

At a New Year's Eve Vespers service in St. Peter's Basilica, Francis urged people to practice more solidarity and to 'build bridges, not walls.'

Since becoming pontiff in 2013, Francis has preached openness - a reform-minded agenda that has irritated a small but vocal group of ultra-conservatives in the church.

Pope Francis visits the crib after the solemn Vespers and the Te Deum, the rite of thanksgiving for the end of the year, celebrated in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican City, 31 December 2019

Pope Francis waves to faithful as he visits the Nativity scene in Saint Peter's Square, following the 'Te Deum' prayer for the year 2019, in St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican

Pope Francis (C) walks as he visits the Nativity scene in Saint Peter's Square, following the 'Te Deum' prayer for the year 2019, in St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on December 31, 2019

Pope Francis smiles to faithful as he visits the Nativity scene in Saint Peter's Square, following the 'Te Deum' prayer for the year 2019, in St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on December 31, 2019

On Christmas Eve, the Pope urged the world to let the light of Christmas pierce the 'darkness in human hearts' as he led Christian celebrations around the world.

The 83-year-old pontiff singled out conflicts in Venezuela, Ukraine and Syria as well as armed conflicts ravaging many African countries as he appealed for peace in troubled hotspots.

Francis delivered his message hours after assuring the faithful that God loves everyone - 'even the worst of us' - following a year of scandals and opposition.

Pope Francis visits the crib after the solemn Vespers and the Te Deum, the rite of thanksgiving for the end of the year, celebrated in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican City, 31 December 2019

Pope Francis can be seen smiling after the incident today when he visited the crib after the solemn Vespers and the Te Deum in St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City

Pope Francis visits the nativity scene in Saint Peter's Square after the Vespers and Te Deum prayer, at the Vatican today

Pope Francis kisses a statue of the baby Jesus Christ during the 'Te Deum' prayer for the year 2019, in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican today

Pope Francis arrives to preside over the 'Te Deum' prayer for the year 2019, in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on December 31, 2019

The pontiff led global celebrations as worshippers gathered around the world to celebrate the birth of Jesus, beginning in Bethlehem and continuing in Sri Lanka where worshipers marked the first Christmas since the Easter Sunday terror attack.

The Pope offered a Christmas message of hope against darkness that cloaks conflicts and relationships in large parts of the world from the Middle East to the Americas to Africa.

He told tens of thousands of tourists, pilgrims and Romans gathered in St Peter's Square for the annual Christmas Day message that 'the light of Christ is greater' than the darkness 'in human hearts' and 'in economic, geopolitical and ecological conflicts'.

A general view taken on December 31, 2019 shows people attending as Pope Francis speaks during the 'Te Deum' prayer for the year 2019, in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican

Pope Francis presides over vespers of the Feast of St. Mary and Te Deum of Thanksgiving at year's end, in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Pope Francis arrives to preside over the 'Te Deum' prayer for the year 2019, in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on December 31, 2019

Francis was flanked by Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, president of the papal council for migrants, and Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the pope's official almsgiver.

The pope cited the Syrian people 'who still see no end to the hostilities that have rent their country over the last decade', as well as Israel, where Jesus 'was born as the saviour of mankind and where so many people - struggling but not discouraged - still await a time of peace, security and prosperity'.

Francis also called for an easing of the crisis in Lebanon, social tensions in Iraq and the 'grave humanitarian crisis' in Yemen.

Pope Francis arrives to lead the Vespers and Te Deum prayer in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, December 31, 2019

Pope Francis presides over vespers of the Feast of St. Mary and Te Deum of Thanksgiving at year's end, in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019

Pope Francis leads the Vespers and Te Deum prayer in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, December 31, 2019

He noted that a number of countries in the Americas 'are experiencing a time of social and political upheaval', citing 'the beloved Venezuelan people, long tried by their political and social tensions'.

The pope also noted migrants forced by injustice 'to emigrate in the hope of a secure life'.

Instead of finding acceptance, Francis said, injustice continues along their journey, where they often face abuse, enslavement and torture in 'inhumane detention camps' and death during dangerous sea and desert crossings.

And once migrants arrive in 'places where they might have hoped for a dignified life' ... they 'instead find themselves before walls of indifference', he said.

The pope offered prayers of hope for the people of Africa, including those in Congo 'torn by continuing conflicts' and the people of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria, where people have been 'persecuted for their religious faith'.

And in an extraordinary message, Francis, along with two other religious leaders, urged the rival chiefs of South Sudan to maintain a pledge to form a coalition government early next year.

A peace deal to end a five-year civil war that has killed close to 400,000 people was signed last year, but a November deadline to form a coalition government was extended to February as key aspects of the peace deal still need to be resolved.

'May Christ bring his light to the many children suffering from war and conflicts in the Middle East and in various countries of the world,' Francis said in his traditional message.

The Pope and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby also sent joint wishes of 'peace and prosperity' to South Sudan as negotiations faltered between the African country's government and rebels.