Pope 'attacked by same woman last year'
Woman who knocked Pope Benedict to ground at start of Christmas Eve Mass tried similar stunt last year, Vatican says
Friday, 25, Dec 2009 03:48
By Matthew Champion.
The woman who dragged Pope Benedict to the ground at the start of Christmas Eve Mass in St Peter's failed in a similar incident last year, the Vatican has admitted.
The Pope was unhurt and managed to say Mass but appeared shaken, while the woman, named in Italian media as Susanna Maiolo, was taken to hospital with police saying she had a history of mental illness.
The 82-year-old was also able to deliver the traditional Christmas message this morning to thousands of cheering pilgrims. As with last night's Mass, he made no reference to the incident.
Amateur footage showed Ms Maiolo, a joint Italian-Swiss national, jumping a security barrier to grab the Pope's vestments near the neck before being bundled to the ground by security.
In the ensuing scuffle 87-year-old French cardinal Roger Etchegaray, 87, fell and broke his leg, the Vatican said.
The crowd applauded as Pope Benedict XVI got back to his feet to deliver Mass, where he spoke out against selfishness.
Last night's mass was moved to 22:00 local time (21:00 GMT) by officials "to make Christmas a little less tiring for the Pope, who has many engagements".
Meanwhile in Bethlehem, on the West Bank, Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal was joined at midnight Mass by Mahmoud Abbas and other Palestinian officials.
"The wish that we most want, we most hope for, is not coming," he said.
"We want peace."