Pope’s attacker apologises
VATICAN CITY, Italy (AFP) — A young woman who charged at Pope Benedict XVI at the start of Christmas Eve mass, knocking him to the floor in St Peter’s Basilica, apologised to the pontiff yesterday, the Vatican said.
Susanna Maiolo, in a “brief private meeting” with Benedict, “apologised for what happened”, the Vatican said in a communiqué. “For his part, the pope wanted to show her his forgiveness.”
Maiolo, 25, stunned pilgrims on December 24 when she leapt over a security barricade and dragged the 82-year-old pontiff to the floor.
The pope was unhurt in the attack.
Maiolo received mandatory pyschiatric treatment under Vatican City law and was released on Saturday.
The Holy See is proceeding with its prosecution of the young woman, the communiqué said.
Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told AFP last month that the sovereign city state’s justice system tended towards leniency.
The Christmas Eve mass is one of the few occasions when tourists and pilgrims can get close to the pontiff.
The Vatican said security prevented the woman from carrying out a similar manoeuvre on the same occasion a year ago.
