'No sign of lung infection' in Pope

Pope John Paul II had no signs of a lung infection such as pneumonia, papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said.

“The Holy Father spent a night of tranquil rest,” he said. “This morning, he ate breakfast with a good appetite. The post-operative situation continues regularly. He’s breathing on his own and cardio-circulatory conditions remain good.”

He said the Pope had had a café latte, 10 small biscuits and a juice for breakfast.

“Upon the advice of his doctors, the Pope must not speak for several days, so as to favour the recovery of the functions of the larynx,” Navarro-Valls said.

The Pope was breathing on his own and had a restful night but his doctors have advised him not to speak for a few days, the Vatican said today.

John Paul underwent emergency surgery in a Rome hospital last night to ease another breathing crisis. He had been reported to be breathing with the help of a respirator following the tracheotomy operation.

An aide to Premier Silvio Berlusconi said the pontiff was conscious and “serene” after last night’s surgery to cut a small hole in his neck and insert a tube.