A 27-year-old German man has attempted to jump into Pope Benedict’s open top Fiat Campagnola during today’s general audience in St Peters Square.
The man was quickly apprehended by security guards and police after jumping over the metal barriers separating the vehicle from the crowd of 35,000 and landing behind the Jeep. All through the event the Pope seemed oblivious to the matter and continued with the event as normal.
Popemobile is an informal name for the specially designed motor vehicle used by the Pope during public appearances, several vehicles used for the Pope’s overseas visits remain in the host country and were reused on his subsequent visits.
In 2002, Pope John Paul II requested that the media stop referring to the car as the Popemobile, finding this term undignified.