Vatican City, Mar 21, 2005 / 22:00 pm
With heightened rumors in the press about the health of Pope John Paul II, the Pontiff’s medical team on Tuesday ruled out the possibility of another hospitalization of the Pope at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome.
“There are no plans for John Paul II to return to the hospital,” Dr. Rodolfo Proietti told the Italian news agency ANSA.
The statements by Proietti, head of the medical team that cares for the Holy Father at the Gemelli, were in response to a report by the French news agency AFP which quoted anonymous Vatican officias as saying the Pope “is not well.” “The Pope was not well all day Monday, that night and today as well,” the source supposedly told AFP. “If the problem is not resolved by Easter, the Pope will have to go back to the hospital,” reported AFP, again quoting the Vatican source.
However, although the Holy See’s Press Office is insisiting there is no new news regarding the Pope’s condition, it was revealed that the Pontiff will not preside at the Sunday audience as he continues his convalescence.