VATICAN COMMENTATORS expressed renewed concern about papal security at the weekend after a woman assaulted Pope Benedict XVI at midnight Mass in St Peter’s Basilica on Christmas Eve.
Susanna Maiolo, a 25-year-old Swiss-Italian who has a history of mental problems, jumped over the crowd barrier in the aisle of the Basilica as the pope and various cardinals made their way to the altar.
Domenico Giani, head of the Vatican Gendarmerie, apprehended the unarmed woman almost immediately but not before she was able to grab the pope’s vestments and drag him to the ground. Benedict, who was unhurt, got to his feet immediately and went on to celebrate Mass as intended. During the incident, 87-year-old French Basque Cardinal Roger Etchegaray was also knocked over, suffering a broken leg from his fall.
Since the incident, the pope has fulfilled all his traditional Christmas engagements. On Christmas Day he delivered his traditional Urbi et Orbe multilingual blessing in St Peter’s Square, while on St Stephen’s Day he led the Angelus prayers from his apartment window.
Yesterday, the pope lunched at a soup kitchen in Trastevere, Rome, run by the Communità di St Egidio, sitting down to table with 100 of the 2,000 clochards who regularly eat there.
In his various homilies over the Christmas weekend, the pope made reference to Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, the importance of the family and the meaning of Christmas, but he did not mention the assault on his person.
Ms Maiolo, who is currently being held in a mental hospital near Rome, has apparently told doctors that she intended no harm but merely wished to greet the pope.
The assault is being investigated by the Vatican judicial authorities, who are likely to deal leniently with Ms Maiolo, at most banning her from the Basilica of St Peter’s.
This was the fifth time in Benedict’s four and a half year pontificate that he has been the object of attacks during public ceremonies.
In Regensburg, in Valencia and twice previously in Rome, people have tried to confront him.