VATICAN/ITALY: VATICAN SPOKESMAN SAYS POPE IS SLIPPING IN AND OUT OF CONSCIOUSNESS.
Record ID:
648723
VATICAN/ITALY: VATICAN SPOKESMAN SAYS POPE IS SLIPPING IN AND OUT OF CONSCIOUSNESS.
- Title: VATICAN/ITALY: VATICAN SPOKESMAN SAYS POPE IS SLIPPING IN AND OUT OF CONSCIOUSNESS.
- Date: 2nd April 2005
- Summary: (BN10) VATICAN CITY, VATICAN (APRIL 2, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. LV: VATICAN SPOKESMAN JOAQUIN NAVARRO-VALLS ARRIVING AT BRIEFING 0.02 2. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) VATICAN SPOKESMAN JOAQUIN NAVARRO-VALLS SAYING: "The general cardio-respiratory and metabolic conditions of the Holy Father are substantially unchanged and therefore are very serious. As of dawn this morning, the start of a compromised state of consciousness was observed. Mass was celebrated at 7'30 this morning in the presence of the Pope." 3. NUN LISTENING 4. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) VATICAN SPOKESMAN JOAQUIN NAVARRO-VALLS SAYING: "As I said, as of this morning at dawn, we are noticing that his state of consciousness is compromised. This absolutely does not mean he is in a coma. When he speaks, his eyes are open and he remains conscious, but at times he seems to be sleeping ... Technically I would exclude a comatose state." 1.04 5. LV/PAN: JOAQUIN NAVARRO-VALLS LEAVING BRIEFING 1.12 6. MV/CU: JOURNALIST READING STATEMENT; CLOSEUP STATEMENT (2 SHOTS) 1.19 (BN10) ROME, ITALY (APRIL 2, 2005) (REUTERS) 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CARLO POLITI, VATICAN EXPERT AND JOURNALIST FOR THE ITALIAN DAILY "LA REPPUBLICA", SAYING: "We are entering a very strange situation because as you know since yesterday he is in a very bad condition with his kidneys, the heart and the blood pressure, and from this dawn he is also losing consciousness from time to time. His body is very strong so we don't know for how much longer this process is going to go on." 2.01 8. GV: PEOPLE AROUND THE SQUARE 2.04 9. GV: WORKERS IN THE SQUARE 2.08 10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) REUTERS VATICAN CORRESPONDENT PHILIP PULLELLA, SAYING: "With every day that passes it seems the Pope is getting closer and closer, by the minute, by the hour, to death. Today the Vatican told us that he is slipping in and out of consciousness. That sometimes he keeps his eyes open and sometimes he is in a state of unconsciousness. So it is a very, very sad constant, progressive worsening of the situation." 2.36 11. GV: VIEW OF SQUARE 2.41 11. SOUNDBITE (English) REUTERS VATICAN CORRESPONDENT PHILIP PULLELLA, SAYING: "So it is just a matter of time, nobody really knows how much longer the Pope will be alive. In the square behind us they are already dismantling a platform that has been used over the past years to hold Papal masses, Papal audiences, nobody is saying why, there are cranes there that are removing these platforms -- it is clearly because sooner or later the Pope's funeral will be held in that square and his coffin will have to rest on the bare marble steps of St. Peter's Basilica." 3.17 12. LV/GV: WORKERS USING CRANE AND FORKLIFT TO DISMANTLE OUTDOOR STAGE AT ST. PETER'S BASILICA (3 SHOTS) 3.36 13. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN SAYING: "I felt a weight on my heart but then slowly I resigned myself to the fact that he is already flying towards the heavens and he is not on this earth anymore, so I don't suffer anymore." 4.04 14. CU: VIEW OF POPE'S WINDOW 4.09 15. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN SAYING: "It is unfortunate and we are sorry for him but in the end each of us has his own destiny. It is a shame because he is a very loved person -- we owe him a lot." 4.28 16. GV: VIEW OF PEOPLE IN ST. PETER'S SQUARE 4.35 17. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN SAYING: "I think it's obviously a very significant day for Catholics and it's very sad." 4.41 18. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN SAYING: "You know, a person as old and ill as him, I think it's part of nature. I think a man with such a strong face can accept his conditions with extreme serenity as we all should." 4.56 19. GV: VIEW OF PEOPLE WALKING IN ST. PETERS SQUARE 4.59 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 17th April 2005 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: VATICAN CITY, VATICAN / ROME, ITALY
- Country: Italy
- Reuters ID: LVAD1J97MO3Z1E0OKKNHNZE7ECJG
- Story Text: Vatican spokesman says the Pope is slipping in and
out of consciousness as Catholics brace themselves for his
death.
Pope John Paul is slipping in and out of
consciousness but his general condition remains unchanged,
the Vatican announced on Saturday (2 April). Spokesman
Joaquin Navarro-Valls told journalists the 84-year-old
Pontiff's condition remained extremely serious but said he
was not in a coma.
"The general cardio-respiratory and metabolic
conditions of the Holy Father are substantially unchanged
and therefore are very serious. As of dawn this morning,
the start of a compromised state of consciousness was
observed," he said.
Navarro-Valls denied that the pope was in a full coma:
"As of this morning at dawn, we are noticing that his state
of consciousness is compromised. This absolutely does not
mean he is in a coma," he told journalists at the Vatican
information office.
"When he speaks, his eyes are open and he remains
conscious, but at times he seems to be sleeping ...
Technically I would exclude a comatose state," he said,
adding that the Pope's overall condition remained "very
serious".
The Vatican said on Friday (April 1) that John Paul's
heart and kidneys were failing, his breathing was shallow
and his blood pressure had fallen dangerously low. Senior
churchmen said the Pope was close to death.
Carlo Politi, a Vatican expert and journalist for the
Italian daily "La Reppublica", told Reuters that it is hard
to predict for how long John Paul II will cling onto life.
"We are entering a very strange situation", he said.
"His body is strong so we don't know for how long this
process is going to go on".
But Reuters Vatican correspondent Philip Pullella said
it seemed clear that the Pope was nearing death.
"With every day that passes it seems the Pope is
getting closer and closer, by the minute, by the hour, to
death. Today the Vatican told us that he is slipping in and
out of consciousness; that sometimes he keeps his eyes open
and sometimes he is in a state of unconsciousness. So it is
a very, very sad, constant, progressive worsening of the
situation," Pullella said.
He noted that a possible sign that the Vatican was
preparing for the Pope's death was the way workers were
using two cranes and a fork-lift truck to dismantle a
semi-permanent stage in front of the Basilica's front door
where the Pope used to hold outdoor services.
"Nobody is saying why, (but) there are cranes there
that are removing these platforms -- it is clearly because
sooner or later the Pope's funeral will be held in that
Square and his coffin will have to rest on the bare marble
steps of St. Peter's Basilica," said Pullella.
As Catholics and tourists continued to pour into St.
Peter's Square to be near the Pope in his last hours, many
appeared to be preparing themselves for his death.
"I felt a weight on my heart but then slowly I resigned
myself to the fact that he is already flying towards the
heavens and he is not on this earth anymore, so I don't
suffer anymore," said one woman.
Another woman said: "It is unfortunate and we are sorry
for him but in the end each of us has his own destiny. It
is a shame because he is a very loved person -- we owe him
a lot."
After the Pope dies, more than 100 cardinals will be
called to Rome to choose a successor at a conclave that
normally starts in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel 15 to 20
days after the death.
The Pontiff's mourning rites will last nine days and
his body is likely to be laid to rest in the crypt
underneath St. Peter's Basilica.
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