Vatican calls Pope's condition "positive"

Vatican City, Feb 2, 2005 / 22:00 pm

Late this morning, Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls told journalists that "The Holy Father's general and respiratory conditions show positive developments."

Navarro-Valls released the statement about the Pope John Paul II's health outlining the current situation.

"The acute laryngeal-tracheitis", he said, "is regressing and there have been no repetitions of the episodes of laryngospasm that were the reason for his being admitted to the hospital."

He continued saying that "the Holy Father spent the night resting quietly", and that the Vatican plans to release an updated statement tomorrow at noon.

Navarro-Valls arrived at Gemelli Polyclinic shortly before 9 this morning. After visiting the Pope, he met with reporters, telling them that "the Holy Father rested well last night, and laboratory results are satisfactory."

He further noted that, "it will be the doctors who decide" how long the Pope will remain at Gemelli, but Navarro-Valls, who is a doctor himself, added that, "from my experience, I think his stay could be about seven days."

Prayers, and wishes for a speedy and complete recovery have arrived from around the world for John Paul II, who was hospitalized in Rome Monday evening with respiratory problems.

More than 700 Polish pilgrims who expected to attend yesterday's weekly general audience offered two bouquets of red and white roses, the colors of the Polish flag, to the Pope. A priest and a nun from the Pope's native land delivered them.

Many Roman Poles, who were on pilgrimage to San Giovanni Rotondo, to the shrine of St. Padre Pio, gathered to pray in St. Peter's Square.

Likewise, prayer vigils were held in a number of Roman churches, including the Polish church of St. Stanislaw.

Fifteen red roses were also brought to the hospital for the Pope by a delegation of residents of towns that have been built on land, now part of Poland, adjacent to the Auschwitz concentration camp.