Thousands gather in sad vigil for Pope

A New Zealand Catholic visiting Rome says feelings of solidarity pervade the crowds gathered in St Peter's Square, outside the Vatican apartment where Pope John Paul II lies ill.

Lyndsay Freer, the New Zealand Catholic Church's long-time communications manager, says thousands of pilgrims and tourists taking advantage of Europe's summer holidays have gathered in the square, where the Pope tried, and failed, to speak on Easter Sunday.

"There is an amazing feeling of solidarity and real sadness because the Pope is obviously suffering greatly," she says.

But the conversation in the crowd reveals concern about the future, says Ms Freer, who is in Rome on church business.

"People are saying that if he now can't speak, and may never speak again, what will that mean?

"There are some people who say - and certainly we hear this in the media - isn't it time the Pope perhaps resigned?"

Ms Freer says Vatican officials have told her the Pope is "fully alert" and receiving his officials. While he is not able to speak, he is certainly listening and receiving reports.

"He is not receiving outsiders at the moment, and who knows whether that will ever happen again. But he is keeping tabs on everything and giving his assent to those decisions that only he can actually make."

Ms Freer says reports of the Pope receiving the last rites does not necessarily mean he is near death. It is routine for the sacrament to be administered to the seriously ill.

"The church doesn't refer to the sacrament of the sick as the last rites any longer.

"The Pope, because of his ill health, would have received the sacrament a number of times, no doubt, in recent years and months. So it doesn't necessarily mean that he is in extremis."