by Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY
Pope Benedict appeared to suffer no ill effects after he was knocked to the marble floor of St. Peter’s Basilica on Christmas Eve by a woman the Vatican described as “unbalanced.”
French Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, 87, was less fortunate. He suffered a broken hip and was spending Christmas in Rome’s Gemelli hospital.
The pope looked and sounded fine as he delivered his Christmas Day message and blessing from the central loggia of St. Peter’s, expressing Christmas greetings in more than 60 languages.
The day before, as the pope processed into the basilica at the start of the 10 p.m. liturgy, a woman wearing a red sweatshirt jumped the security barrier and knocked the 82-year-old pontiff to the ground. Amateur videos showed Vatican security guards trying to stop the woman, but she succeeded in pulling on the pope’s vestments, causing him to lose his balance and tumble. The woman was immediately swarmed by papal guards, and the pope was on his feet in a matter of seconds.
Vatican sources confirmed that the woman was the same person who attempted to rush the pope at Midnight Mass last year, but was tackled by guards before she could reach the pontiff.
The Vatican identified the woman as an unarmed 25-year-old Swiss-Italian with psychiatric problems, and said she had been taken to a clinic for treatment. The same woman had tried to reach the pope during Midnight Mass last year, a Vatican official added.
On Friday, the pope stuck to his Christmas schedule as planned. During his midday address delivered from the balcony of St. Peter's, the pope -- appearing tired -- decried the financial and moral crisis gripping the world.
After his address, the pontiff wished Catholics around the world a Merry Christmas in 65 languages, including Ukranian, Turkish, Ethiopian, his native German and Latin. Then, standing at the balcony overlooking the cheering crowd in the square, he delivered his annual "Urbi et Orbi" (Latin for "To the City and To the World") blessing, granting forgiveness of sins to all spectators.
News services contributed to this article.
