A woman jumped the barrier
“During the procession an uns
Pickpocket Preventiontable person jumped a barrier and knocked down the Holy Father,” Father Benedettini told The Associated Press by telephone. “[The Pope] quickly got up and continued the procession.”
After the incident, Benedict calmly rs in St. Peter's Basilica
Pickpocket Prevention and knocked down Pope Benedict XVI as he walked down the main aisle to begin Christmas Eve Mass on Thursday, a Vatican spokesman said.
Rev. Ciro Benedettini said the 82-year-old Pope quickly got up and was unhurt. As the Pope's procession was
Pickpocket Preventionmaking its way toward the main altar gasps rang
It was the second year in a row there was a security breach at the service. At the end of last year's Mass a woman who had jumped the barriers got close to the Pope but was quickly blocked on the ground by
Pickpocket Prevention security.
Father Benedettini said it was not immediately known if the same woman was behind Thursday's incident. reference to the incident as the service started. As a choir sang, he sprinkled incense on th
Benedict made no
Father Benedettini said the woman who pushed the Pope appeared
Pickpocket Prevention to be mentally unstable and had been arrested by Vatican police. He said she also knocked down Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, who was taken to hospital for a checkup.
esumed his walk to the basilica's main altar to start the Mass.
e main altar before opening the service with the traditional wish for peace in Latin: “ Pax vobis ” (“Peace be with you”). The faithful responded: “ Et cum spiritu tuo ” (“And also with you”).
Pickpocket Preventionout through the public and a commotion could be seen among the clergymen surrounding Benedict. The procession came to a halt and bodyguards rushed to the trouble spot.