Pope visits cardinal injured in Christmas Mass incident

The Pope paid a hospital visit today to an elderly cardinal who broke a hip when a mentally disturbed woman knocked the Pontiff down on Christmas Eve, the Vatican said.

Officials did not give details about Benedict XVI’s visit to French Cardinal Roger Etchegaray at the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, which had not been announced.

The Pope was shaken but unhurt on December 24 when a young Italian-Swiss woman climbed over a barrier during his procession to the altar during Mass in St Peter’s Basilica.

The woman, who is being treated at a psychiatric clinic, grabbed the Pope’s vestments, bringing the 82-year-old to the ground.

Cardinal Etchegaray fell during the commotion as security guards rushed to the Pope’s aid.