Benedict was brought down to the ground by a woman leaped over a security barricade to grab the 82-year-old pontiff. (Reuters) VATICAN CITY – In an unusual incident, Pope Benedict XVI was assailed by a woman during Christmas Eve late Thursday, December 24, knocking him to the ground.
"It was an assault, but it wasn't dangerous because she wasn't armed," said Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi, reported Reuters.
Video footage showed the woman in a red sweatshirt leaping over a security barricade to grab the 82-year-old pope to the ground.
Several others fell over in the melee.
The spiritual leader of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics was helped up by security men to continue celebrating the Mass.
* Pope Assailed On Christmas Eve
Dressed in gold and white vestments and mitre, the pope showed no discomfort as he read out his Christmas Eve homily.
"Conflict and lack of reconciliation in the world stem from the fact that we are locked into our own interests and opinions, into our own little private world."
Lombardi described the woman as “unstable and "apparently unbalanced".
He said the same woman tried to approach the pontiff on the same occasion a year ago without getting past the security barrier.
Prominent French Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, 87, broke a leg in the incident though he was "several metres (yards)" from the pope.
Questioned by the Vatican police, the woman said she wanted to hug the pontiff, according to the ANSA news agency.
Thursday's incident occurred amid concern over the pope's health prompted by a Vatican decision to schedule the mass two hours early this year instead of the traditional midnight hour due to the pontiff's advanced age.
Sombre Christmas
The incident came as thousands of Christians around the world celebrated Christmas, amid calls for peace, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
"This land will deserve to be called holy when she breathes freedom, justice, love, reconciliation, peace and security," the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fuad Twal told worshippers in the West Bank town of Bethlehem.
Thousands of pilgrims converged on the city to celebrate Christmas in the traditional birthplace of Jesus, with sombre festivities triggered by Israeli restrictions.
Live rock music mingled with traditional carols in Manger Square as thousands of pilgrims and Palestinians joined the festivities, providing some respite for a town living in the shadow of a huge Israeli-built wall.
"This is the place where God gave us his son, so it is very special for me to be here, for me and my whole community," said Juan Cruz, 27, from Mexico.
Christmas is an annual holiday celebrated by Christians worldwide to commemorate the birth of Jesus.
Muslims believe in Jesus as one of the great Prophets of God and that he is the son of Virgin Mary but not the son of God. He was conceived and born miraculously.
As for his crucifixion, Muslims believe that Jesus was not crucified but was lifted up to heaven.
Muslims believe he will come back to earth before the end of time to restore peace and order, fight the Anti-Christ (Al-Masih Al-Dajjal) and bring victory for truth and righteousness.
In the United States, a huge winter storm forced scores of churches to cancel Christmas Eve services as blizzards and freezing rain brought treacherous holiday travel conditions for millions.
"This is a holiday mess," said Chris Vaccaro, a spokesman for the National Weather Service.
"Its effects run the gamut from severe thunderstorms in the Gulf Coast to ice in New England to really what is a raging blizzard in the lower plains."
US President Barack Obama left the freeze far behind, starting a family holiday in his native state of Hawaii cheered by a major health reform victory.
Snow, ice and stormy weather also brought fresh misery to Christmas holiday travellers across Europe, causing disruption on roads, rail and air travel.
In Latin America, Venezuela's firebrand President Hugo Chavez sought to put a damper on festivities, telling countrymen to end the gift-giving "insanity" of Christmas and instead reading children stories about independence hero Simon Bolivar.
"For the love of God, let's halt this, let's put the brakes on this consumerist, capitalist insanity, that leads us to lose our spiritual values," he said.
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