Pope leaves hospital amid applause

Pope John Paul

Pope John Paul left hospital yesterday, ending a 10-day stay for severe breathing problems that revived concern about his health and the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church.

The frail Pope waved weakly to onlookers as he drove out of Rome's Gemelli hospital in a glass-topped Popemobile, with security staff running alongside his motorcade.

Hospital patients, some in their dressing gowns and slippers, lined the path, clapping as he passed.

The 84-year-old Pontiff was rushed to hospital on February 1 with acute breathing difficulties caused by influenza and complicated by Parkinson's disease.

His hospitalisation caused concern throughout the Catholic world as faithful feared that one of the most historic pontificates would die.

But the Church was cautiously upbeat throughout the past 10 days, and Vatican watchers said his high-profile departure from hospital, screened live on Italian television, was intended to calm fears over his health and show he had recovered.

"The acute laryngotracheitis that necessitated the urgent hospitalisation of the Holy Father has healed," said a Vatican spokesman.

He added that medical tests had excluded any other type of problem.

The Pope, who no longer walks and also suffers from severe arthritis, had made a brief appearance at his hospital window but looked very weak, was barely able to recite a brief blessing and relied on an aide to read his message.

Vatican sources said the Pope hoped to make an appearance from his window overlooking St Peter's Square tomorrow before joining a previously scheduled one-week Lenten retreat inside the Vatican.

- REUTERS