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Pope Francis loses cool after being pulled into crowd

Pontiff appeals to over-eager spectators not to be selfish on his trip to Mexico

Pope Francis lost his temper with a person who pulled on him so hard that he fell onto a child in a wheel chair at a mass in Morelia, Mexico. He looked at the person, raised his voice and said twice in Spanish: 'Don't be selfish!'. Pics: Reuters

Wed Feb 17 2016 - 12:58

Pope Francis has shown public signs of irritation for the first time on his trip to Mexico, snapping at over-eager crowds.

After a colourful encounter with young dancers and singers in the western city of Morelia, Pope Francis went over to greet the faithful.

Some people tugged on his sleeve from behind a barrier and appeared to be on the verge of toppling him.

Young people photograph Pope Francis as he walks to greet them in Morelia, Mexico on Tuesday. Photograph: Rebecca Blackwell/AP

After it happened a second time the Pope had an irritated look on his face and said: “Don’t be selfish, don’t be selfish.”

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Francis then took a couple of steps back as appeals came over the public address system asking the crowd not to group together.

The pontiff waved to people for a few more minutes before leaving.

During the visit to Morelia he also urged Mexican priests not to resign themselves to a society dominated by drug-fuelled violence and corruption, but to get out of their comfortable lives and fight the injustices tormenting their flock.

Francis issued the appeal during a mass for Mexico’s clergy in the capital of the state of Michoacan, a hotbed of the country’s drug trade.

The visit to Morelia was also a symbolic vote of confidence for the city's archbishop, Alberto Suarez Inda.

PA

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