Pope JPII: In Good Health or at Death's Door?

[Tulameen]

The prophecy of St. Malachy is often interpreted such that Pope JPII is the last pope before the End Times. Therefore there has been a lot of attention to his health. What will happen if he passes on?

There are also concerns that rumors of his poor health are being created and leaked to the press by conspirators within the Vatican who plan to remove him before his death, say he has died, and install one of their own.

www.nytimes.com/2003/10/15/international/europe/15POPE.html?ex=1066795200&en=37070b6bf7b30eca&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE

What do you think?

[Tulameen]

But he's getting better.

Frail Pope's health 'improving'
Catholic women pray during a mass, west of Baghdad
Catholics around the world are praying for the Pope
Pope John Paul II's health is improving and he is eating normally, a Vatican spokesman has told reporters.

Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the pontiff hoped to give his regular live address on Sunday from hospital but a decision would not be taken until the day.

The 84-year-old pope was taken to Rome's Gemelli hospital on Tuesday after being struck by influenza.

The Vatican said on Thursday he was likely to stay for a week to recover from an acute respiratory infection.

"The state of health of the Holy Father has improved, " said Mr Navarro-Valls on Friday, reading from a brief Vatican medical bulletin.

He said tests confirmed that the Pope's health had stabilised, and there had been a "favourable evolution" of the breathing troubles he suffered at the start of the week.

The Pope is believed to have suffered a laryngo-spasm, a closure of the larynx that blocks the passage of air to the lungs.

There were concerns that he could develop pneumonia, although his heart and lungs were said to be normal.

Contingency plan

The Vatican has been keen to stress that this is not a life-threatening illness.

The Pope suffers from Parkinson's disease and painful joint conditions.

Vatican sources say a contingency plan was made for the Pope to be taken to hospital if he fell victim to the current flu epidemic sweeping Italy. A set of rooms is always reserved for him on the 10th floor.

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4236041.stm