(December 26, 2009) The Vatican will review its security procedures after a woman
jumped a barrier and rushed at Pope Benedict XVI for the second time in two years,
managing to knock him down before being pulled away by security, the Vatican spokesman,
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi said Friday. Pope Benedict, 82, wasn't hurt and delivered
his traditional Christmas Day greetings in 65 languages from the balcony overlooking
St. Peter's Square. While a bit unsteady at first, he also delivered a short speech
about the world's trouble spots without problem. The incident in St. Peter's Basilica
before the Christmas Mass raised fresh questions about security for the pontiff. The
attacker even wore the same red-hooded sweat shirt as she did in the previous year.
The Vatican identified the woman involved in Thursday night's incident as Susanna
Maiolo, 25, a Swiss-Italian national with psychiatric problems. Father Federico Lombardi
said it's not realistic to think the Vatican can ensure 100 percent security for the
Pope considering he is regularly surrounded by tens of thousands of people for his
weekly audiences, Masses, papal greetings and other events. "It seems that they intervened
at the earliest possible moment in a situation. The Vatican's security officials
will nonetheless review the episode and "try to learn from experience," he said.
While Pope Benedict was unhurt in the fall, a retired Vatican diplomat, French Cardinal
Roger Etchegaray, 87, fractured his hip in the commotion. He will be operated on in
the coming days at Rome's Gemelli hospital, said Nicola Cerbino, a hospital spokesman.
Rome Mayor Gianni Alemanno remarked: "We need in some way to be more vigilant over
all, because in an open and globalized world, the number of unbalanced people and
their aggressiveness can increase."