The Native Son
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- Jul 14, 2009
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THE woman who knocked over Pope Benedict XVI as he celebrated Christmas Eve Mass at the Vatican was behind a similar attack last year, sources claim.
Fox News reporter Greg Burke told Sky News Australia "they are saying it is the same woman who last year tried to do it and was quickly taken away by security".
Amateur footage shows the woman, in a red jacket and dark trousers, leaping a barricade and rushing at the 82-year-old pontiff in St Peter's Basilica.
She also knocked over French Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, 87, who was taken to hospital for a check-up.
The Pope got to his feet and completed the service with no further incident.
She was not armed and has been described by authorities as "mentally unstable". She was arrested and taken away by Vatican police.
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
At last year's Christmas Eve service the woman jumped a barricade but was stopped before she reached the Pope.
Religious commentator Alastair Bruce said shock swept the congregation in St Peter's Basilica - and he described how those assembled burst into applause when the 82-year-old pontiff got back to his feet.
Mr Bruce told Sky News how shocked security guards raced down the aisle to rescue the Pope, when the incident began as he walked to the altar at the start of the service.
"Suddenly, you see everyone is looking to the west door, where there is a commotion and the security staff run down," he said.
"There are security staff all the way along, but the majority of them are waiting up at the altar end, where the Pope was going to celebrate Mass.
"He was knocked down, were told, by this lady and I believe that somebody else was also knocked down at the same time, from what I picked up.
"The Pope ... managed to get up to his feet, and as soon as he did the congregation all broke into applause, because I think they were all so relieved to see he was all right."
He told how the pontiff was surrounded by worried senior clergy - "most of them bishops and archbishops wearing those mitre hats, which they would wear going in, and you could also see the ceremonial costumes" - until he proceeded to the altar, to the joy of the congregation.
"And then people taking photographs of the Pope as soon as he came back into view, the procession carried on, back up to the centre of the Cathedral, where, of course St. Peter is believed to be buried, and over which all the great ceremonies take place.
"It was a huge shock bearing in mind that the Popes immediate predecessor, John Paul II, had been not only attacked but had been shot in the square just outside the Basilica, which was a huge security scare at the time, and amazingly the Pope then survived and heres another attack on somebody who wants to be exposed and available to all those who care.
"He then managed, perhaps inwardly shaken but robust enough to continue leading the celebration of this probably the most important mass of the year. Its Christmas, and Christians around the world are looking to him for leadership.
"And I dare say that whatever his recovery it will have affected him and tomorrow, Christmas Day, will put huge burden upon him to continue his leadership."
[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Benedict_XVI"]Pope Benedict[/ame] showed no discomfort as he read out his Christmas Eve homily - and made no reference to the assault.
He spoke out against selfishness, which he said "makes us prisoners of our interests and our desires that stand against the truth and separate us from one another."
The Mass began two hours early, instead of the traditional midnight hour, because of the Pope's age.
[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federico_Lombardi"]Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi [/ame]said the change was planned "to make Christmas a little less tiring for the Pope, who has many engagements during this time".
SOURCE: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/po...s-at-the-vatican/story-e6frf7jo-1225813573645
Fox News reporter Greg Burke told Sky News Australia "they are saying it is the same woman who last year tried to do it and was quickly taken away by security".
Amateur footage shows the woman, in a red jacket and dark trousers, leaping a barricade and rushing at the 82-year-old pontiff in St Peter's Basilica.
She also knocked over French Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, 87, who was taken to hospital for a check-up.
The Pope got to his feet and completed the service with no further incident.
She was not armed and has been described by authorities as "mentally unstable". She was arrested and taken away by Vatican police.
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
At last year's Christmas Eve service the woman jumped a barricade but was stopped before she reached the Pope.
Religious commentator Alastair Bruce said shock swept the congregation in St Peter's Basilica - and he described how those assembled burst into applause when the 82-year-old pontiff got back to his feet.
Mr Bruce told Sky News how shocked security guards raced down the aisle to rescue the Pope, when the incident began as he walked to the altar at the start of the service.
"Suddenly, you see everyone is looking to the west door, where there is a commotion and the security staff run down," he said.
"There are security staff all the way along, but the majority of them are waiting up at the altar end, where the Pope was going to celebrate Mass.
"He was knocked down, were told, by this lady and I believe that somebody else was also knocked down at the same time, from what I picked up.
"The Pope ... managed to get up to his feet, and as soon as he did the congregation all broke into applause, because I think they were all so relieved to see he was all right."
He told how the pontiff was surrounded by worried senior clergy - "most of them bishops and archbishops wearing those mitre hats, which they would wear going in, and you could also see the ceremonial costumes" - until he proceeded to the altar, to the joy of the congregation.
"And then people taking photographs of the Pope as soon as he came back into view, the procession carried on, back up to the centre of the Cathedral, where, of course St. Peter is believed to be buried, and over which all the great ceremonies take place.
"It was a huge shock bearing in mind that the Popes immediate predecessor, John Paul II, had been not only attacked but had been shot in the square just outside the Basilica, which was a huge security scare at the time, and amazingly the Pope then survived and heres another attack on somebody who wants to be exposed and available to all those who care.
"He then managed, perhaps inwardly shaken but robust enough to continue leading the celebration of this probably the most important mass of the year. Its Christmas, and Christians around the world are looking to him for leadership.
"And I dare say that whatever his recovery it will have affected him and tomorrow, Christmas Day, will put huge burden upon him to continue his leadership."
[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Benedict_XVI"]Pope Benedict[/ame] showed no discomfort as he read out his Christmas Eve homily - and made no reference to the assault.
He spoke out against selfishness, which he said "makes us prisoners of our interests and our desires that stand against the truth and separate us from one another."
The Mass began two hours early, instead of the traditional midnight hour, because of the Pope's age.
[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federico_Lombardi"]Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi [/ame]said the change was planned "to make Christmas a little less tiring for the Pope, who has many engagements during this time".
SOURCE: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/po...s-at-the-vatican/story-e6frf7jo-1225813573645
