'Sick' Pope misses general audience

Pope John Paul II is suffering from ”intestinal problems” and cancelled his general audience today, a Vatican official said.

The official said the problems were “not serious,” but that the Vatican decided to have Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Vatican secretary of state, represent the pontiff at the audience.

The official gave no further details on John Paul’s condition or what the intestinal problems were. An official Vatican statement was expected later.

The 83-year-old pope suffers from Parkinson’s diseases, and has debilitating knee and hip ailments that have made it difficult for him to walk.

His aides wheel him around in a throne-like chair for public appearances and to celebrate public Masses.

He has appeared weaker in recent months, and during his recent trip to Slovakia was unable to recite all of his speeches, leaving it to aides to finish them off for him.

As recently as Sunday, however, John Paul appeared to be in better form, speaking clearly to hundreds of pilgrims who had gathered at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, in the hills south of Rome.