Pope asks faithful for prayers; waves from hospital window

[Conservativesux]

Pope asks faithful for prayers; waves from hospital window in surprise appearance

February 27, 2005

VATICAN CITY - Pope John Paul II made a surprise appearance from a hospital window Sunday, waving to the faithful just after a top Vatican official on the steps of St. Peter's Basilica read a statement from the pontiff asking for prayers.

The 84-year-old pope was wheeled to a hospital window and blessed the crowd by making the sign of the cross in clear gestures as a Vatican photographer snapped pictures. John Paul, recovering from a throat operation to ease a breathing crisis, touched his throat during the minute-long appearance but seemed to be in decent form.

The pope, wearing his white vestments, sat behind a closed window that shielded him from the cold. Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Vatican's No. 2 official, stood behind John Paul in his 10th-floor suite at Rome's Gemelli Polyclinic hospital.

John Paul's appearance astonished many of the roughly 200 people who had gathered under his window to pray for him and show their support.

"Suddenly, I saw a flash and then his hand that was making a blessing," said Elena Marzullo, of Rome.

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[BlueEyedSon]

1. "You can not petition the Lord with prayer!"

So like, the more people that pray up to god for him, the more that god might "change his mind" about his plans for the pontiff?

I'm sooooo confused.

[oneighty]

2. It is all so confusing

Surely God would protect his Representative on Earth without further prompting. Of course God might be tending a flock in a Galaxy far away and is momentarily distracted.

"Oh Lord come on down spread a little love around."

That would be cool!

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