( CNN ) -- A woman jumped a barrier at the start of Christmas Eve Mass at St. Peter 's Basilica and knocked down the pope , briefly disrupting ceremonies . Screams erupted from onlooking worshippers when the woman ran toward Pope Benedict XVI and grabbed onto his vestments as he walked down the main aisle of the church , video footage showed . He was quickly helped to his feet by his aides -- prompting cheers from the crowd -- and the service was resumed , Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told CNN . The woman was removed by Vatican guards , Lombardi said . John Allen , senior Vatican analyst for CNN , said such security breaches are n't uncommon . `` As compared to say , the president of the United States , the security membrane around the pope is pretty thin and fairly permeable , '' he said , citing similar past incidents , including one that happened last Christmas Eve . Allen said that generally , these disruptions are caused by people who are n't seeking real harm , but who want to be close to the pope . Benedict began what has traditionally been a midnight Mass at the Vatican at 10 p.m. as officials sought to keep the 82-year-old pontiff from a late night . Celebrants in Bethlehem , the traditional birthplace of Jesus in the West Bank , however , joined the Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal for a midnight Mass attended by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and other Palestinian officials . Outside the Church of the Nativity , erected over the site Christian tradition says was the place of Jesus ' birth , the faithful gathered under the watchful eyes of heavily armed Palestinian police . But Palestinian shopkeeper Nadia Hazboun said the security situation in the West Bank has improved in the time since the militant Hamas group took over Gaza and Abbas ' Fatah movement abandoned the narrow strip of land between Israel and the Mediterranean for the West Bank . `` It was bad , now it is good , '' he told Voice of America radio . `` I told you , before anybody take the law in his [ own ] hands . But now the law [ is ] with the police . We have security , we have calm , we have now the best situation in Bethlehem . `` Were you there ? Share pictures , video . Christmas Eve in Bethlehem is a popular destination for American Christians , including Iowan Paul Edelman . `` Just the festivities , the idea that this is the birthplace of Christ , and you get to see all the historic places and share it with people from around the world ; it 's a very nice experience , '' he told Voice of America radio .
Woman tried to reach pope at time of midnight Mass . The midnight Mass held at 10 p.m. ; some say because of health concerns for pope . Pope in Bethlehem met the Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal for a midnight Mass . Outside Church of the Ascension , faithful gathered along with heavily armed Palestinian police .