Ailing Pope

Pope John Paul II looks at a white dove freed at the end of the Angelus prayer, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Jan. 30, 2005. Two days after this photo was taken, the pope was rushed to the hospital suffering complications from the flu.

Pope John Paul II looks at two white doves that were freed by children as a symbol of peace, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Jan. 30, 2005. The birds were sent out a window but immediately flew back inside, perhaps because of the cold weather. Laughing, the 84-year-old ailing pontiff seemed determined to set them free.

Pope John Paul II shoos away a white dove freed at the end of the Angelus prayer, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Jan. 30, 2005.

Journalists and photographers are seen outside the Polyclinic Gemelli hospital in Rome, where Pope John Paul II was taken for treatment of breathing problems and the flu, Feb. 1, 2005.

Bishops from all over the world pray in the chapel of Rome's Agostino Gemelli hospital, Feb. 5, 2005.

Pope John Paul II waves to the faithful from a window of Rome's Agostino Gemelli hospital, Feb. 6, 2005.

Pope John Paul II blesses the faithful from a window of Rome's Agostino Gemelli hospital, Feb. 6, 2005. An aide is holding the text of the traditional blessing.

Two girls look up as Pope John Paul II appears at a window of Rome's Agostino Gemelli hospital, Feb. 6, 2005.

People watch a giant television screen showing Pope John Paul II blessing the faithful from a window of his hospital, in St. Peter Basilica at the Vatican, Feb. 6, 2005.

A nun prays in the chapel of Rome's Agostino Gemelli hospital, Feb. 8, 2005. Pope John Paul II was being treated there for breathing problems.

Pope John Paul II travels in his popemobile after leaving Rome's Polyclinic Agostino Gemelli hospital, Feb. 10, 2005. A papal spokesman had announced earlier that the frail pope had recovered completely from the breathing crisis that led to his urgent hospitalization and that his general condition continued to improve.

Pope John Paul II waves as he leaves Rome's Polyclinic Agostino Gemelli hospital aboard his popemobile, Feb. 10, 2005.

Italian Cardinal Camillo Ruini reads a letter from the pope during a Mass held for the Church's World Day of the Sick, inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Feb. 11, 2005. The pope, back from the hospital but still frail, sent a message of support to the sick, saying he feels especially close with them and asking for their prayers.

Pope John Paul II blesses pilgrims and the faithful during his traditional Sunday appearance at the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Feb. 20, 2005.

On the first day of its sale to the public, the Italian edition of Pope John Paul II's latest book, "Memoria e Identita" (Memory and Identity), is seen in a bookstore in Rome, Feb. 23, 2005. The book was being published in 14 editions in 11 languages.

Seen on a giant screen, Pope John Paul II blesses the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Feb. 23, 2005. The Pontiff greeted pilgrims by video hookup after the Vatican canceled his appearance at his apartment window due to stormy weather.

A nun walks past Rome's Gemelli Polyclinic hospital, where Pope John Paul II had just been hospitalized for the second time in a month, Feb. 24, 2005. He underwent successful tracheotomy surgery to ease his breathing crisis.

Pope John Paul II appears at a window of his room at Rome's Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital to give the traditional blessing at the end of Sunday's Angelus prayer, March 13, 2005. He is flanked by Vatican secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano, left.

Pope John Paul II leaves Rome's Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital, March 13, 2005, two-and-a-half weeks after surgery to insert a tube in his windpipe to ease breathing problems. The pope traveled in a gray Mercedes minivan with tinted windows rather than in the glass-paneled popemobile he usually uses.

Pope John Paul II arrives at the Vatican in a minivan after leaving Gemelli Polyclinic hospital, in Rome, March 13, 2005. The pontiff returned to his apartment overlooking St. Peter's Square after reassuring the world's Roman Catholic faithful with his own raspy voice that he is recovering from his latest health crisis.

Click here for photos from Easter Week 2005.