Pope is being fed through tube in nose, says Vatican

POPE John Paul II is being fed through a tube in his nose, the Vatican said yesterday, shortly after the frail Pontiff appeared at his window in St Peter’s Square and managed only a rasp when he tried to speak.

Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the step was taken to “improve the Pope’s calorie intake” and so he can recover his strength.

It was unclear when the tube was inserted but it was not visible when John Paul made his appearance.

The tube is not the only source of nutrition for the Pope, a Vatican official said on condition of anonymity.

Asked about reports of a possible hospitalisation, the official said there were no plans at this time and any decision would be up to his doctors. The statement appeared indirectly to deny media reports that the 84-year-old Pope might be hospitalised again to insert a feeding tube in his stomach because of problems swallowing food.

Francesco Pierconti, a pathologist at the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome who did not treat John Paul, said tubes like the one used by the Pope usually need to stay in place for “two or three days, then they get removed for disinfection” before being reinserted.

The Pope was rushed to Gemelli twice last month with breathing crises. On February 24, he underwent throat surgery to insert a tube in his windpipe and ease his breathing.

The Pope appeared briefly at his window yesterday overlooking St Peter’s Square to bless the faithful on the day that he normally holds his general audience.

Wearing his traditional white cassock and sitting on a chair, he was rolled to the window and appeared to be listening attentively as priests read greetings in several languages.

Another priest then read a blessing for him as the Pope simultaneously moved his hand in the sign of the cross in the direction of the crowd below.

One of his priest secretaries then put a microphone next to the Pope’s mouth. He made some sounds in what appeared to be an attempt to say a three-syllable word. But he was unable to pronounce anything and the aide removed the microphone.

The emotional episode yesterday was a near-identical repeat of Easter Sunday, when the Pope also failed to formulate any words.