Pope Francis has apologised for defending a bishop accused of covering up sexual abuse.
The pontiff said he realised his words hurt many people, but repeated that he believes Chilean Bishop Juan Barros was innocent.
He had said, during a visit to Chile last week, that those who accused Bishop Barros were committing slander.
"I apologise to them if I hurt them without realising it, but it was a wound that I inflicted without meaning to," the Pope said on Monday. "It pains me very much."
Bishop Barros has been accused of being present when another priest, Fernando Karadima, molested young boys.
When questioned by a Chilean journalist on Thursday, the pontiff said: "The day they bring me proof against Bishop Barros, then I will speak. There is not a single piece of proof against him. Everything is slander. Is this clear?"
This prompted some of Karadima's victims to say it was "offensive and unacceptable to say that we need to provide concrete evidence".
The Pope said he regretted using the word “proof”.
He added: "There are lots of abused people who cannot show proof. They don't have it. Or they have it but they keep it to themselves, suffering in silence.”
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