Security slightly tighter around Pope

January 06, 2010

Security has tightened visibly around Pope Benedict XVI since the Christmas Eve incident in which a woman leapt over crowd barriers and pulled him to the floor. But the Holy Father has obviously refused to take steps that would separate him from the faithful. Crowd-control barriers in St. Peter’s basilica were moved back a few feet, widening the aisle through which the Pope passed in procession, and giving guards a few more seconds to respond to anyone who sought to approach the Pontiff. But the Pope still stopped occasionally and moved toward the congregation, shaking hands and kissing babies.

 

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Further information:

• New security as pope leads Mass for Epiphany (USA Today)
• Vatican tightens papal security ... a little (National Catholic Reporter)
• Pope gets close to faithful (ANSA)