When he became pope in 1978, John Paul II was an avid sportsman, enjoying hiking and swimming.In addition, John Paul II travelled extensively after becoming pope; at the time, the 58-year old was extremely healthy and active, jogging in the Vatican gardens (to the horror of Vatican staff, who informed him that his jogging could be seen by tourists climbing to the summit of dome of St. Peter's Basilica.
The pope's response, according to media reports, was "so what?", weightlifting, swimming and hiking in mountains. When the cost of installing a swimming pool in his summer residence was queried by cardinals, John Paul joked that it was "cheaper than another conclave".
John Paul's obvious physical fitness and looks earned much comment in the media following his election, which compared his health and trim figure to the poor health of John Paul I and Paul VI, the portliness of John XXIII and the constant claims of ailments of Pius XII.
The only modern pope with a keep-fit regime had been Pope Pius XI (1922–1939) who was an avid mountain climber.
In 1981, though, John Paul II's health suffered a major blow after the first failed assassination attempt.
After being shot, John Paul II was rushed to the Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic in Rome, where he received extensive emergency surgery.
Due to intestinal damage, a colostomy was also performed. He nevertheless managed to recover, and in his speeches from the hospital window, which would always attract large crowds, he defined "the Gemelli" as "the third Vatican" (the first being St Peter, and the second the papal summer residence).
He went on to a full recovery, and sported an impressive physical condition throughout the 1980s.
He went on to a full recovery, and sported an impressive physical condition throughout the 1980s.
Starting about 1992, John Paul II's health slowly declined.
He began to suffer from an increasingly slurred speech and difficulty in hearing. In addition, the Pope rarely walked in public. Though not officially confirmed by the Vatican until 2003, most experts agreed that the frail pontiff suffered from Parkinson's disease.
The contrast between the athletic John Paul of the 1970s and the declining John Paul of later years was striking. From being strikingly fitter than his predecessors, he had declined physically to far more ill health than was the norm among more elderly popes.
The contrast between the athletic John Paul of the 1970s and the declining John Paul of later years was striking. From being strikingly fitter than his predecessors, he had declined physically to far more ill health than was the norm among more elderly popes.
In February 2005 John Paul II was taken to the Gemelli hospital with inflammation and spasm of the larynx, the result of influenza. Though later released from the hospital, he was taken back after a few days because of difficulty breathing.
A tracheotomy was performed, which improved the Pope's breathing but limited his speaking abilities, to his visible frustration.
In March 2005, speculation was high that the Pope was near death; this was confirmed by the Vatican a few days before John Paul II died.
Death
On March 31, 2005 the Pope developed a very high fever and profound low blood pressure, but was neither rushed to the hospital nor offered life support. Instead, he was offered medical monitoring by a team of consultants at his private residence.
This was taken as an indication that the pope and those close to him believed that he was nearing death; it would have been in accordance with his wishes to die in the Vatican. Later that day Vatican sources announced that John Paul II had been given the Anointing of the Sick by his friend and secretary Stanisław Dziwisz.
During the final days of the Pope's life, the lights were kept burning through the night where he lay in the Papal apartment on the top floor of the Apostolic Palace.
Thousands of people rushed to the Vatican, filling St. Peter's Square and beyond, and held vigil for two days. Upon hearing of this, the dying pope was said to have stated: "I have searched for you, and now you have come to me, and I thank you."
On Saturday 2 April, at about 15:30 CEST, John Paul II spoke his final words, "Let me go to the house of the Father", to his aides in his native Polish and fell into a coma about four hours later.
The mass of the vigil of the Second Sunday of Easter, that is, Divine Mercy Sunday which was put into the Church's calendar by him on the occasion of the canonization of St. Faustina on April 30, 2000 [10], had just been celebrated at his bedside.
Several aides were present, along with several Polish nuns of the Congregation of the Sisters Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, who ran the papal household.
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No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
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Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce