Word: vaticans
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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Because Thursday's incident took place inside St. Peter's, and the Vatican is an independent city-state, it is up to the Pope whether a criminal investigation will proceed against Maiolo. Both Paul VI and John Paul II made a point of forgiving the men who tried to kill them. And though he didn't mention the incident during his Christmas day ceremony, Benedict is likely to make a point of forgiving what was a much less severe attack. Along with mixing amongst the faithful, forgiveness is part of the job description...
...Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said Benedict cannot carry out his mission if he is shielded from his faithful in a "zero risk" protection scheme. Still, even in praising the quick reaction of the pontiff's personal security detail, Lombardi told The Associated Press officials will nonetheless review the episode and "try to learn from experience...
...same Christmas Eve service in 2008, Maiolo made a similar dash toward Benedict, stopped short that time by Domenico Giani, who heads the Vatican gendarmes, a private police force responsible for protecting the Pope. Giani, who is always within arm's length of the Pope, also helped wrestle away a mentally disturbed German man in 2007 who'd jumped on the Pope's open jeep he uses to circle St. Peter's Square before and after his weekly Wednesday General Audience...
...pope is protected by a combination of Swiss Guards, Vatican police and Italian police. Since the Sep. 11, 2001 attacks in the United States, security has tightened at the Vatican, and all visitors to St. Peter's must past through metal detectors. Still, compared to other mega-visible leaders, including the U.S. President, close access to the Pope, while not guaranteed, is never really rendered impossible either. (Read "Pope Benedict on the Question of Judaism...
...waves to the crowds in a bulletproof popemobile, at home in Rome, there is a relatively loose approach to managing the crowds, and the giro among the faithful is done in an open jeep. Tickets to get inside a papal mass can be easily obtained in advance through a Vatican office or some of the foreign embassies to the Holy See. For weekly general audiences, which are held during the winter months inside the Paul VI auditorium, you simply need to show up early and ask Swiss guards at the famous Bronze Door for tickets. The occasional visits that...