Vatican City, Feb 24, 2005 / 22:00 pm
The Vatican this morning released a much anticipated statement on the condition of Pope John Paul II who underwent tracheotomy surgery last night during his second visit to a Rome hospital this month.
Holy See Press Office Director, Joaquin Navarro-Valls released a statement to journalists this morning saying, "The Holy Father spent a night of tranquil rest”, and that "This morning he ate breakfast with a good appetite.”
He added that, "The post-operative situation continues regularly”, and that the Pope “is breathing on his own and [his] cardio-circulatory conditions remain good.”
Navarro-Valls continued, "Upon the advice of his doctors, the Pope must not speak for several days so as to favor the recovery of the functions of the larynx. "A new medical bulletin is not foreseen until next Monday, February 28 at 12:30 p.m."