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Osservatore Romano via AFP - Getty Images
Pope Francis greeting the faithful after a March 17 mass at Santa Anna church. He plunged into crowds pushing against barricades outside a Vatican gate as security men and Swiss Guards stood nervously by.
Pope Francis' love of getting up close and personal with his flock is giving his security detail a bit of agita.
The new pontiff, who used to take a packed bus or subway to work as a cardinal in Buenos Aires, does not seem content to sit in his Popemobile and wave to crowds from afar.
His willingness to suddenly wade into a sea of people presents new challenges for the Swiss Guard and other security forces.
"We are worried if there is more contact with people, because that means there's a greater possibility something can happen," Cpl. Urs Breitenmoser of the Swiss Guard told the Catholic News Service.
Breintenmoser said the pope's style "is perfectly fine" and that the security teams are nimble enough to react to his spontaneity, though it's clear those responsible for his safety are nervous.
The head of the Vatican police looked concerned when the pope greeted some 200 people after a March 17 mass at the Church of St. Anne in Vatican City and then headed right for the throngs at the barricades outside.
Courtesy Sergio Rubin via AFP - Getty Images
Before he was pope, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio took mass transit in Buenos Aires.
"I'm sure it's a nightmare for them," Claude Moniquet a security expert who heads the Brussels-based European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center and has written about protecting heads of state, told NBC News.
"The point of security plans is to limit the moments with direct contact, so this is a hole in security."
Vatican security breaches are rare but frightening.
Pope John Paul II was shot and gravely wounded by Turkish national Mehmet Ali Agca in St. Peter's Square in 1981. In 2007, a German man tried to climb onto Pope Benedict XVI's open vehicle as he tooled around the square, and a 25-year-old woman with psychiatric problems tried to tackle Benedict during Christmas Eve Mass in 2009.
Moniquet said that Francis' penchant for crowd-pleasing leaves him less vulnerable to a terrorist attack than to an unstable lone wolf who blends into the audience.
The Swiss Guard and the Vatican's gendarme corps can plead with the pope to keep his distance but it probably won't work, he said.
"It's impossible to prevent a VIP like this from doing what he wants," Moniquet said. "If you have a clear and imminent threat, you can tell him no. If not, he does what he wants."
And he said a pope may be harder to sway than a prime minister or a vice president.
"If the people believes his mission is to go to the people, what can you say?" he said. "Maybe he believes God will protect him or maybe he believes if he dies, it's the will of God. He would be difficult to convince."
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I think it is great that he interacts with his followers. It shows that he is at the same level as the normal everyday people. I think this man is wonderful, God Bless him.
Yes but that makes him a soft target.
I agree, but I don't envy his security-detail chief, nor Obama's. Must be nerve-wracking to have that reponsiblity.
Security? The Almighty God's right hand man needs mere humans to provide him with security??
Leroy, you be referring to Obama?
Lol, you Obama-hating zombies certainly are creative when it comes to denigrating the President. You manage to find a way to do it no matter what the content of the article! Good job...
Grow up please and leave the Obama hating at your next Klan meeting.
leroy,
The pope does not expect miracles to protect him nor des he test God in this way.
In what way does the Pope test God???
Leroy: Please don't denigrate the beliefs of others. It is impolite and uncalled for.
I have a problem with President Obama doing all the traveling he does, and not just because of the cost. Airplane travel is not the safest mode of transport, especially when that airplane holds one of the most powerful people in the world. There are people in all the countries he flies over who would love to be known as the one who caused him harm. Why can't he stay at the White House and let other leaders visit him, or Skype him? Much safer, and I worry what would happen if our President were victimized, no matter who that President may be. I have the same feelings about the Pope. It's great that he is a man of the people, but those people will be crushed if his carelessness about security leads to his death. He is too important to too many to take those risks.
Airplane mode is the safest form of transport, actually.
Never forget that John Paul 1 lasted only 33 days. Seems he tried to be a man of the people. Wonder how long it's gonna take Francis to be poisoned like JP1.
Jackieboy: If you have evidence Pope John Paul I was poisoned, why don't you give it to the police? If you have no such evidence, why don't you STFU?
In think he will be a bright shining light into the darkness of poverty all over the world, including the US.
He does what comes natural to him, that is directly interact with people on a personal level.
I dont think he thinks for one minute about his own security. The Security detail rightly must be frustrated. They probably never had to deal with anyone like Pope Francis. I pray, that God will keep him safe.
But then, that's the whole problem with many catholic priests...they do what comes naturally to them!
bad bad leroy brown !!
leroy,
Aand with other pedophiles as well. What is your point?
I like his spunk. He proves to the poor that he is with them. This is what Francis of Assisi did. He got right into the midst of the poor. He even gave the clothes off his back to his own father and walked naked out of the town. Pope Francis is doing the right thing for now. He wants to encourage the people he has been appointed to serve. Not only this, it is showing all other religions what we must do to give back for what we have gotten. Even if you are poor, you can always find someone worse off than you.
I am not Catholic, but I will continue to pray to GOD for this man and I will continue to pray for all you too.
"I am not Catholic, but I will continue to pray to GOD for this man and I will continue to pray for all you too."
We need more in the religious community (layperson as well as ministerial roles) to walk-the-walk instead of just talk-the-talk. Francis has a history that suggests the former. That was the message I get about Jesus from the Gospels - concern for your fellow man instead of a self-centered life (the epitome of our 21st century world). So though I'm not Catholic and though I don't pray often, Francis' work will be in my prayers.
Abraham Lincoln said that if a person wanted to murder someone, he could. That does NOT mean that a person shouldn't take precautions! Even Mr. Lincoln, as intelligent as he was, was foolish to dismiss his security detail the night he was shot. How different the history of the United States would be if he had been more careful! As it was, his Vice President, Andrew Johnson from Tennessee, was vindictive and wanted to make the South "suffer." They are still doing so because of him.
The Pope should take the lives of his security people into account, even if he doesn't care about himself. That is the Christian way to behave, after all.
If Christians are to be rewarded with everlasting life for their faith, why should they be livin' scared all the time?
Riddle me that, Batman!
Boo!
Who is living scared?
So what? If something happens... good riddance to this clown.
Wulf,
Why so nasty?
I'm not Catholic, to the point where my feet would probably start smoldering if I walked into a church. But I think getting right down with the masses is the smart thing to do, and I applaud Francis for it. It frankly means a lot more to his mission, than what his life is worth at this point. He's 76. It's unlikely that someone is going to pull a weapon on him, but even if they do...what's he got, maybe 10 more years? I'd risk it too, for the message it sends.
Is it me or is there something really in our face here? The popes "flock" and the popes "followers". I haven't heard much about God (who's name is apparently not as important as that of a pope.) The pope took time and careful deliberation to choose a name. Don't even get me started on pope and vatican merchandising.
It's just you.
The pope is the leader of God's Church on earth. The pope mentions God all of the time. What is your point? That you don't like what these writers say about him? Ok, so?
How would you know anything about "Vatican merchandising"?
God bless Pope Francis. He is proving that he is truly a a people person not detached from his
flock. By putting his flock first he is showing the world that God is not detached from those who
hunger and thirst for righteousness!!
This man seems to be more cjrist like than his predecessor I feel good when I read about his humility and concern for the poor I believe he is going to be a man for the whole world to watch and admire.
I finished reading the above comments, some really nasty people out there and then there are the rest of us. Pope Francis has already proven to be a saint in the making. He's humble, loves the masses, has shown the world by keeping his wooden cross and not wearing a gold fisherman's ring that he does not feel he is above the rest of the world because he is Pope. Even at the Vatican he is keeping his life as simple as possible without all the regalia that has followed and embraced other Popes. He met the people once he was elected Pope in the simple white outfit without all the pomp. He is a people's Pope. He is still conservative and I think he will lead the Catholic Church better than any other Pope. Just the fact that he took the name Francis shows his humility and desire to help the poor and needy. I pray for him and hope that he will be Pope for many years to come.
This pope will put the security staff on their utmost best to do the nearly impossible task of protecting him from one crazy person. Wait till he travels abroad. I am almost sure he will not use the bullet-proof bubbled popemobile.
Already I can not imagine how NYPD would deal with him. My goodness.
It's God's will...whatever happens.