US embassy cable - 05VATICAN456

UNCLAS VATICAN 000456 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE LEVIN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, SOCI, SOCI, VT, VTPGOV 
SUBJECT: POPE RETURNS TO VATICAN TO CONTINUE RECUPERATION; WILL KEEP 
RESTRICTED HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE 
 
 
1.      (U) Pope John Paul II returned to the Vatican in the early 
evening of March 13, after spending 18 days in Rome's Gemelli 
hospital.  The Pontiff underwent a tracheotomy to facilitate his 
breathing and subsequent therapy to allow him to speak with a 
tube in his throat.  Television coverage of his March 11 visit 
with two prelates from Tanzania and of his March 13 Angelus 
prayer revealed his voice to be weak and raspy; though difficult 
to understand, the Pope did not appear to be struggling to 
speak.  The Holy See went out of its way to release video 
footage showing the Pope resuming his duties and participating 
in Mass to reinforce the image that he is still in charge. 
Despite the Pope's return, the weekly Wednesday audience was 
again cancelled, and the extent of the Pope's participation in 
upcoming Easter ceremonies -- which will be officially presided 
over by senior cardinals -- remains unclear. 
 
2.      (SBU) Following the Pope's televised midday Angelus Prayer 
March 13, the Vatican took gathered reporters by surprise by 
announcing that the Pope would be returning home.  Spokesman 
Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the John Paul II would "continue his 
convalescence" at the Vatican.  The tube inserted after his 
tracheotomy is still in place and Vatican sources say it will 
remain so for some time, and possibly permanently, though it 
will be changed monthly.  With the risk of infection relatively 
high, it is clear that the Pope's public schedule will be 
strictly reduced for several weeks, and possibly much longer. 
It is unclear whether the Pope will be physically present at the 
Holy Week masses.  He is currently scheduled to give a simple 
blessing on Easter Sunday. 
 
3.  (U) As it has been throughout the Pope's hospitalization and 
convalescence, media coverage of his release and motorcade from 
the hospital to Vatican City State was exhaustive: the Vatican 
Television Center had a camera in the rear seat of John Paul 
II's vehicle broadcasting a "Pope's eye view" of the 
fifteen-minute journey, with Italian and international media 
interrupting their regular programming to pick up the live 
Vatican feed.  The Pope's increasing frailty has all major Rome 
media outlets on high alert, many having paid retainers to 
reporters and analysts for years to be prepared for a Papal 
transition. 
 
4.      (SBU) Comment:  In the coming weeks, the Vatican will do 
everything possible to reassure the Catholic faithful and the 
media that Pope John Paul II is still in charge and competent to 
run the Church.  Senior cardinals already limit their demands on 
his time and counsel, presenting him only with business 
requiring his attention because of absolute necessity or 
urgency.  We expect his schedule will remain drastically 
reduced, with only heads of state, visiting bishops, and perhaps 
incoming ambassadors to have access.  At many public events, the 
Pope's presence will likely be relayed via live television links. 
 
5. (SBU) At this point in time, there is no indication that the 
Pope is affected by a life-threatening health crisis.  He 
receives excellent medical care and his day-to-day condition is 
under constant scrutiny.  The Pope has a history, when he has 
suffered physical setbacks, of adjusting to the new restrictions 
and achieving a new plateau for his level of activity.  At the 
same time, one cardinal told a journalist this week, "We don't 
know whether the Pope will live a week or five years."  The 
Vatican is also keeping an ambulance at the ready outside the 
Apostolic Palace.  End comment. 
 
HARDT 
 
 
NNNN 
UNCLAS VATICAN 000456 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE LEVIN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, SOCI, VT 
SUBJECT: POPE RETURNS TO VATICAN TO CONTINUE RECUPERATION; WILL KEEP 
RESTRICTED HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE 
 
1.      (U) Pope John Paul II returned to the Vatican in the early 
evening of March 13, after spending 18 days in Rome's Gemelli 
hospital.  The Pontiff underwent a tracheotomy to facilitate his 
breathing and subsequent therapy to allow him to speak with a 
tube in his throat.  Television coverage of his March 11 visit 
with two prelates from Tanzania and of his March 13 Angelus 
prayer revealed his voice to be weak and raspy; though difficult 
to understand, the Pope did not appear to be struggling to 
speak.  The Holy See went out of its way to release video 
footage showing the Pope resuming his duties and participating 
in Mass to reinforce the image that he is still in charge. 
Despite the Pope's return, the weekly Wednesday audience was 
again cancelled, and the extent of the Pope's participation in 
upcoming Easter ceremonies -- which will be officially presided 
over by senior cardinals -- remains unclear. 
 
2.      (SBU) Following the Pope's televised midday Angelus Prayer 
March 13, the Vatican took gathered reporters by surprise by 
announcing that the Pope would be returning home.  Spokesman 
Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the John Paul II would "continue his 
convalescence" at the Vatican.  The tube inserted after his 
tracheotomy is still in place and Vatican sources say it will 
remain so for some time, and possibly permanently, though it 
will be changed monthly.  With the risk of infection relatively 
high, it is clear that the Pope's public schedule will be 
strictly reduced for several weeks, and possibly much longer. 
It is unclear whether the Pope will be physically present at the 
Holy Week masses.  He is currently scheduled to give a simple 
blessing on Easter Sunday. 
 
3.  (U) As it has been throughout the Pope's hospitalization and 
convalescence, media coverage of his release and motorcade from 
the hospital to Vatican City State was exhaustive: the Vatican 
Television Center had a camera in the rear seat of John Paul 
II's vehicle broadcasting a "Pope's eye view" of the 
fifteen-minute journey, with Italian and international media 
interrupting their regular programming to pick up the live 
Vatican feed.  The Pope's increasing frailty has all major Rome 
media outlets on high alert, many having paid retainers to 
reporters and analysts for years to be prepared for a Papal 
transition. 
 
4.      (SBU) Comment:  In the coming weeks, the Vatican will do 
everything possible to reassure the Catholic faithful and the 
media that Pope John Paul II is still in charge and competent to 
run the Church.  Senior cardinals already limit their demands on 
his time and counsel, presenting him only with business 
requiring his attention because of absolute necessity or 
urgency.  We expect his schedule will remain drastically 
reduced, with only heads of state, visiting bishops, and perhaps 
incoming ambassadors to have access.  At many public events, the 
Pope's presence will likely be relayed via live television links. 
 
5. (SBU) At this point in time, there is no indication that the 
Pope is affected by a life-threatening health crisis.  He 
receives excellent medical care and his day-to-day condition is 
under constant scrutiny.  The Pope has a history, when he has 
suffered physical setbacks, of adjusting to the new restrictions 
and achieving a new plateau for his level of activity.  At the 
same time, one cardinal told a journalist this week, "We don't 
know whether the Pope will live a week or five years."  The 
Vatican is also keeping an ambulance at the ready outside the 
Apostolic Palace.  End comment. 
 
HARDT 
 
 
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