Pope attacked at Christmas Mass, unhurt
A woman jumped the barriers in St. Peter's Basilica and knocked down Pope Benedict XVI at the start of Christmas Eve Mass, but the 82-year-old pontiff got up unhurt and proceeded as planned with Thursday's service, the Associated Press is reporting.
Witness video obtained by the AP showed a woman dressed in a red hooded sweat shirt vaulting over the wooden barriers that cordoned off the basilica's main aisle and rushing toward the pope before being swarmed by bodyguards.
The video showed the woman grabbing the pope's vestments as she was taken down by guards, with Benedict then falling on top of her.
The commotion occurred as the pope's procession was making its way toward the main altar and shocked gasps rang out among the thousands who packed the basilica. The procession came to a halt, the music stopped and security rushed to the trouble spot.
A Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Ciro Benedettini said the woman appeared to be mentally unstable and had been taken into custody by Vatican police. He said she also knocked down Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, who was taken to hospital for a checkup.
Comments
"A Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Ciro Benedettini said the woman appeared to be mentally unstable and had been taken into custody by Vatican police."
This house of cards called the Vatican, is being sustained by pomp, splendor, palatial buildings, publicity, spokespersons, security forces etc etc and Jesus the humble carpenter is the man/god for whom all of this brouhaha was set up in the first place?
Also, is mental instability a prerequisite to knocking down the Pope and was the woman who knocked down the Pope the only one mentally unstable among the throngs? Man, the whole kit and caboodle of religion, especially when it is accompanied by this much ostentation and command structure, is mental instability.
Ravensfan Anon
Posted by: Anonymous | December 25, 2009 11:36 PM