Pope not strong enough to deliver Sunday message

VATICAN CITY- Pope John Paul will make a public appearance to bless the faithful from his hospital suite on Sunday but the Pontiff is not yet strong enough to read his customary noon message.

In what appeared to be an indication that the 84-year-old Pontiff still needed rest following emergency treatment for flu-induced breathing problems, the Vatican said an aide will read the Pope's message and recite the prayer for him.

Then the Pope himself will deliver the blessing, which consists merely of several lines in Latin and making the sign of the cross.

The Pope normally reads a short address, then a prayer known as the "Angelus" before delivering his blessing to the crowds in St Peter's Square.

"The Pope will give the apostolic blessing to the faithful," said chief Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls, adding that Deputy Secretary of State Archbishop Leonardo Sandri would read the message and the prayer.

Although not specified in the statement, the Pope was expected to deliver the blessing from the window or balcony of his 10th-floor hospital suite at Rome's Gemelli hospital.

The Vatican also said the Pope would not preside at an Ash Wednesday service in St Peter's Basilica marking the start of Lent this week. It was believed to be the first time the Pope would missed the start of Lent.

American Cardinal James Stafford would preside at the ceremony on the Pope's behalf.

The official Vatican statement was in contrast to more upbeat words by a bishop who spoke to reporters after visiting the Pope at the Gemelli hospital on Saturday morning.

"Surely, surely, he is getting better," said Bishop Vincenzo Paglia, a founder of the Sant' Egidio religious group in Rome who visited the Pontiff to bring him a get well message from some 100 bishops of various Christian denominations.

"He was really happy to see that a lot of bishops had gathered to pray for him ... he is eager to get back to work," Paglia said. The Pope is spending his fourth full day in Rome's Gemelli hospital, where he was rushed after he suffered a respiratory crisis on Tuesday night suffering from a breathing crisis.

He has not been seen in public since he blessed crowds from his window overlooking St Peter's Square last Sunday.

The Pope's latest hospitalisation, coupled with the onslaught of Parkinson's disease and arthritis, has served as another reminder that one of history's greatest papacies was getting closer to its end.

The Vatican has said the next full medical bulletin would be issued on Monday at 1100 GMT (midnight Tuesday NZT).

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexiy II sent a get-well-soon message to the Pope, putting aside strained ties with the Catholic church.

"Accept our support expressed in brotherly prayer in connection with your illness," said the Patriarch's message, quoted by Itar-Tass news agency.

He also told the Pope to "recover and regain your strength ... in fulfilling the holy service as head of the Roman Catholic church for the good of the flock and for the benefit of the general Christian values of peace and justice".

- REUTERS