Pope urges tolerance

Vatican City, Dec. 25: Pope Benedict XVI looked in good form on Friday as he delivered his traditional Christmas message, urging tolerance for migrants, a day after falling during an assault at St Peter’s Basilica.

“In the face of the exodus of all those who migrate from their homelands and are driven away by hunger, intolerance or environmental degradation,” the Roman Catholic Church calls for “an attitude of acceptance and welcome,” the Pope said.

The 82-year-old pontiff appeared upbeat and calm as he gave the “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world) address to tens of thousands of pilgrims gathered in St Peter’s Square and millions around the world.

The spiritual leader of the world’s 1.1 billion Roman Catholics then gave blessings in 65 languages from Maltese to Mongolian.

In the assault on Thursday, a 25-year-old woman leapt over a security barrier and managed to knock down the pope in a dramatic start to his celebration of Christmas Eve mass. Masses of pilgrims gasped as a security guard failed to stop her from grabbing Pope Benedict’s vestments near the neck and pulling him to the floor as several other people fell over in the melee.

Relieved applause broke out as the pontiff got back on his feet within moments.

Pope Benedict went on to celebrate the mass undaunted by the assault, speaking out in his homily against selfishness as Christians across the world celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ.

Meanwhile, the Vatican identified the pontiff’s assailant as Susanna Maiolo, 25, and said she was hospitalised for “necessary treatment.” The Vatican spo-kesman, Mr Federico Lombardi, said that Ms Maiolo, of dual Swiss and Italian nationality, as “apparently unbalanced.”