Pope Returns To Vatican

Pope John Paul II left the hospital in his white popemobile Thursday, declared "cured" of breathing spasms that left him bedridden for 10 days and rekindled debate about his ability to continue leading the Roman Catholic Church.

Under heavy security, the 84-year-old pope was bundled into the vehicle inside a covered entrance to Rome's Gemelli Polyclinic to shield him from the winter chill. Police sealed off St. Peter's Square to tourists.

Beneath a crisp early evening sky, spectators huddled behind barricades set up along a main street running by the Holy See for a glimpse of John Paul in his white robes.

The pontiff waved occasionally, making the sign of the cross to the hundreds who lined the the 2½-mile route to the Vatican, reports CBS News Correspondent Lou Miliano. Security guards walked, then jogged, alongside the popemobile.

His return — a hastily arranged procession with a touch of pageantry designed to show the world he has recovered — was broadcast live on television.

The bulletproof popemobile also is equipped with a hydraulic lift, which makes it easier for the pontiff, who walks with difficulty, to get into than a limousine.

Earlier, Papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the pope was "cured" of the breathing crisis that led to his urgent hospitalization on Feb. 1 and that his general condition was continuing to improve.

Navarro-Valls said a battery of tests including a CT scan — a three-dimensional X-ray — had "excluded other pathologies," meaning it ruled out any new illnesses.

The pope's move to his apartment in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace coincides with a traditional Lenten period of spiritual reflection for the pontiff with no public ceremonies. That way, the pontiff can try to regain strength before Easter without having to cancel anything.

Navarro-Valls earlier said it was too soon to say what the pope's schedule will be like.

"When he gets back to the Vatican he will look over and decide with his doctors what his appointments will be," he said. "He will take into account, or listen to, his personal physician."

To help the pope's treatment along, perhaps, Italian medical students had been providing the pontiff with musical accompaniment, serenading him outside the hospital and praying for his recovery, CBS News Correspondent Mark Phillips reports.

Prayers for his health are still accompanied by worries about how fit he will be after this ordeal to continue to lead the Catholic church. According to medical reports, while the pope was in the hospital he was tested for a variety of other ailments and none were found, but this has clearly been not only just a scare, but another ordeal for an old and frail man, Phillips said.

The pope, who also suffers from Parkinson's disease and crippling hip and knee ailments, was taken by ambulance to Rome's Gemelli Polyclinic for emergency treatment of respiratory problems two days after coming down with the flu.

John Paul's ninth night in his private mini-ward on the 10th floor was uneventful, the Italian news agency ANSA reported Thursday.

In a downside first for his 26-year papacy, John Paul was forced to skip the Ash Wednesday ritual in St. Peter's Basilica because of his hospitalization.

Doctors at Gemelli refused to discuss the pope's condition, but the Vatican press office had issued its own medical bulletin every few days describing John Paul's continued improvement. His doctors had persuaded him to prolong his stay just to be on the safe side.

Faithful and churchmen will be watching Sunday to see if he makes another window appearance as he did last week from the hospital.

Resuming his regular Sunday prayer appointment at his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square would be a big boost to those wanting reassurance the pontiff is determined to resume his routine at the helm of the Roman Catholic Church.

Last Sunday, he waved from a hospital window, but the words of his brief blessing were largely inaudible, which led to speculation his frail health might prompt him to consider the prospect of resigning.

Asked about the pope's ability speak, Navarro-Valls said, "I heard him this morning," but didn't elaborate.

A remark earlier this week by the Vatican's No. 2 official about the possibility of a papal resignation set off a prickly debate among top cardinals and papal advisers.

No pope has resigned for centuries, and John Paul repeatedly has said he intends to carry out his mission until the end. Besides Parkinson's disease, the pope has struggled with crippling hip and knee ailments.

Cardinal Angelo Sodano, who as secretary of state is second only to John Paul in the Vatican's hierarchy, said the hypothesis of a papal resignation should be left "up to the pope's conscience."

Other leading cardinals have echoed that assessment.

But Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who as head of the Congregation of Bishops is one of the pope's top advisers, criticized such talk as "bad taste."

John Paul deserves to remain at his post until he dies, Cardinal Marc Ouellet of Canada said Wednesday.

"The pope has affirmed several times that he will remain at his post until his last breath," said Ouellet, the archbishop of Quebec City. "I think after the great service he has given us for 27 years, he deserves to die as pope."

Ouellet said the frail pontiff still has important lessons to teach.

"He has no physical strength, but he has an extraordinary moral authority," he said.