Pope's attacker can expect forgiveness - Vatican

VATICAN: A serene Pope Benedict XVI gave a Christmas Day message of tolerance just hours after being bundled to the ground by a woman who surged past guards to assault him.

The Vatican said the assailant, identified as 25-year-old Susanna Maiolo and described as "unstable," could expect forgiveness.

The pope was unhurt in the dramatic attack in St Peter's Basilica, while a prominent French cardinal was among others who fell in the confusion and was hospitalised with a broken hip.

The Vatican said the woman tried a similar manoeuvre at the Christmas Eve mass one year ago but was stopped by security.

Maiolo, who has Swiss-Italian nationality, told doctors she "did not want to hurt" the pope, La Repubblica newspaper reported.

Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said the Vatican judicial system was "generally very lenient."

While the assault raised questions about Vatican security, Benedict spoke confidently when he appeared again for his Christmas Day "Urbi et Orbi" blessing to tens of thousands of pilgrims massed in St Peter's Square.

He made an appeal to "abandon all logic of violence and revenge" and choose the "path of peaceful coexistence."

Benedict spoke out on the plight of migrants, saying: "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."

Vatican City,Sunday, AFP