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Commotion: Pope Benedict XVI is helped to his seat moments after a woman jumped barriers and knocked the pontiff down The Pope has been knocked to the ground tonight during Midnight Mass at St Peter's Basilica by the same woman who jumped the barriers last year, according to reports.
Pope Benedict XVI was walking down the aisle to begin the traditional Christmas Eve service when the woman made her move.
The pontiff's security guards rushed forward to help him back to his feet.
The Rev Ciro Benedettini said the Pope quickly got up off the marble floor, aided by the Master of Ceremonies, and was unhurt.
Slow motion television footage showed a plastic chair flying into the air as bodyguards rushed to the scene.
Pope Benedict, 82, calmly resumed his walk to the basilica's main altar and began the Mass to applause from worshippers.
Rev Benedettini said the woman who pushed the Pope appeared to be mentally unstable and had been arrested by Vatican police.
He said she also knocked down Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, 87, who was taken to hospital after suffering a broken leg as a result of the attack.
Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said the woman was the same person who tried to jump a barricade to get close to the Pope at last year's Christmas Mass - but was quickly blocked on the ground by security (scroll down to see video of last year's attempted attack).
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