Pope Sidelined By Flu

Pope John Paul II has influenza, forcing him to cancel scheduled audiences for health reasons for the first time in more than a year, the Vatican said.

The frail 84-year-old pontiff came down with the illness Sunday and doctors advised that he cut back on his activities, papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said Monday.

"He has joined the more than a million Italians who have come down with the flu," Navarro-Valls told The Associated Press.

Asked by Vatican Radio if it was a mild case, Navarro-Valls said "of course," adding that symptoms were evident during his regular noon appearance Sunday in his apartment window overlooking St. Peter's Square.

Navarro-Valls expressed caution, however, about when John Paul would resume his regular activities. "We'll see," he told the radio. "As always with influenza, it is a day-to-day question."

There appeared to be no particular alarm in the Vatican City enclave. Officials went about business as usual while Vatican Radio was quick to issue its reassuring report.

Despite Parkinson's disease and crippling knee and hip ailments, John Paul has appeared in good form in recent months. He continues to receive foreign leaders — the president of Armenia visited the Vatican last week and the president of the European Parliament is due Friday — as well as appear before pilgrims and tourists twice a week.

The last time the pope skipped an audience for illness was in September 2003, when he canceled his weekly public audience because of an intestinal ailment. The last time when he was reported to have the flu came during a trip to his native Poland in June 1999, when he skipped a Mass in Krakow, disappointing a crowd of 1 million people.

This has been a particularly bitter winter in Rome — the city got a rare dusting of snow last week — and the Italian Health Ministry has recommended flu shots, particularly for the elderly, but it was not known if John Paul had taken one. Vatican officials refused to say, citing the pope's right to privacy.

The Vatican makes brief announcements when the pope falls ill, but rarely provides details on the extent of the illness or any medicine he may be taking.

Among activities scheduled for Monday was the presentation of the Vatican's yearbook, which Navarro-Valls said was simply turned over to him. Also on the schedule were meetings with several bishops and foreign officials.

John Paul's voice was weak but he was otherwise in good form during his appearance Sunday when he tried to release a dove out of his apartment window as a symbol of peace. He chuckled with children who watched in delight as the bird flew back into the room overlooking St. Peter's Square.

The pontiff was addressing thousands of young people from an Italian Catholic organization that had marked January as a month to promote peace.

At his public audience each Wednesday, scores of faithful are brought up to the stage to kiss the pope's ring or shake his hand.