The woman who pulled Pope Benedict XVI to the floor during Christmas Eve mass at St Peter's Basilica has been taken to hospital, the Vatican spokesman said today.
Susanna Maiolo, 25, is of dual Swiss and Italian nationality, Federico Lombardi told AFP.
The woman, whom Lombardi described yesterday as "apparently unbalanced," leapt over a security barricade and threw herself at Pope Benedict, 82, in a dramatic start to Christmas Eve mass at St Peter's Basilica.
The pontiff was back on his feet within moments and went on to celebrate the mass undaunted by the assault, speaking out in his homily against selfishness as Christians across the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Lombardi said Maiolo tried to approach Pope Benedict on the same occasion a year ago without getting past the security barrier.
The spokesman sought to play down the incident, praising Benedict's "great self-control and control of the situation."
He added, "It was an assault, but it wasn't dangerous because she wasn't armed."
Pope Benedict was to deliver his traditional "urbi et orbi" (to the city and the world) speech at midday today.
Prominent French Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, 87, broke a leg in the incident though he was several metres away.
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