Susanna Maiolo

Susanna Maiolo (born 8 November 1984) is a Swiss-Italian woman who twice attempted to attack Pope Benedict XVI. The first attack, in December 2008, was intercepted successfully by members of the Pontifical Swiss Guard. The second attack, on 24 December 2009, happened during the procession to the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass inside St. Peter's Basilica, where she knocked the Pope and French cardinal Roger Etchegaray to the floor, breaking the cardinal's leg and hip, and leaving the Pope uninjured.

Early life

Maiolo was born in Frauenfeld, Switzerland. She has both Italian and Swiss citizenship.[1]

Attacks

The first attack in December 2008 was intercepted successfully by the Pope's bodyguards. Then, on Christmas Eve, 24 December 2009, during the Entrance Procession to the Midnight Mass, inside St. Peter's Basilica, she knocked the Pope and French cardinal Roger Etchegaray to the floor, breaking the cardinal's leg and hip, and leaving the Pope uninjured. Authorities said that Maiolo is mentally unwell and she was held for a week's evaluation at a psychiatric hostel in Subiaco near Rome.[2][3] It was reported that she did not want to injure the Pope, and the Pope has forgiven her.[4][5][6]

Reactions

The Pope's personal secretary, Monsignor Georg Gaenswein, visited her at the clinic on 1 January 2010. He expressed the Pope's concern for her and said the Pope believed in her good intentions and had pardoned her.[7] The Vatican public prosecutor Nicola Picardi and spokesman Federico Lombardi said that she would probably be released.[5]

Maiolo and two of her family had a brief private audience with Pope Benedict after the morning general audience on 13 January 2010 in a room adjoining the Paul VI Audience Hall. Maiolo told the Pope she regretted the incident. He forgave her and expressed his best wishes for her and her health.

References
  1. http://www.safran-arts.com/42day/history/h4dec/h4dec24.html
  2. Pope OK after woman knocks him down at Mass
  3. WINFIELD, NICOLE (25 December 2009). "Pope fine for Christmas blessing after fall". The Washington Post. Retrieved 25 December 2009.
  4. Goldsmith, Samuel (25 December 2009). "Pope Benedict forgives Susanna Maiolo one day after she knocked him down during Christmas Eve Mass". Daily News. New York.
  5. Útočnice prý chtěla papeže jen prosit o pomoc pro nejchudší, December 28, 2009, České noviny, ČTK
  6. Susanna Maiolo, sette giorni di cure obbligate in isolamento : La donna che ha spinto il Papa era stata ricoverata 18 mesi in una struttura di Frauenfeld, in Svizzera, Corriere della Sera, December 26, 2009
  7. Pope's secretary visits woman who floored pontiff, Reuters, editing by Tim Pearce, Jan 3, 2010
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