A woman has jumped the barriers in St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican and knocked down Pope Benedict XVI as he walked down the main aisle to begin Christmas Eve Mass.
The Pope quickly got up and was unhurt, said Vatican spokesman the Rev Ciro Benedettini.
Benedict calmly resumed his walk to the basilica's main altar and began the Mass.
Ms Benedettini said the woman who pushed the Pope appeared to be mentally unstable and had been arrested by Vatican police.
She also knocked down Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, who was taken to hospital for a check-up, she added.
