Vatican City (AsiaNews) - The Pope's general conditions are "very serious" and he has begun to display "the start of a compromised state of consciousness," Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said today.
Last night, Navarro said, the Pope murmured words of greeting to the tens of thousands of young people who kept vigil on St Peter's Square: "I have looked for you. Now you have come to me. And I thank you."
Here is the complete text of the spokesman's statement:
The following information is an update as of 9 this morning:
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.
Last evening the Pope probably had in mind the young people whom he has met throughout the world during his pontificate. In fact, he seemed to be referring to them when, in his words, and repeated several times, he seemed to have said the following sentence: "I have looked for you. Now you have come to me. And I thank you".