Pope 'at Vatican before Easter'

The Pope made his second appearance on Sunday

Pope John Paul II should be well enough to leave hospital by 20 March in time for Holy Week - the run-up to Easter.

Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the 84-year-old pontiff had suffered no complications since his tracheotomy surgery on 24 February.

"We expect him to be back in the Vatican before the start of Holy Week," he said in Monday's health bulletin.

But he did say that doctors had told the Pope to restrict the use of his voice to ensure a complete recovery.

Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday, 20 March this year, and ends on Easter Sunday, 27 March.

The Pope looked frail and weak as he gave a silent blessing from his 10th floor window of Rome's Gemelli hospital on Sunday for the traditional Angelus prayers.

He made a similar silent appearance the previous Sunday. It was the first time during his 26-year papacy that he had not led the prayers.

Daily rehabilitation

"The general conditions of the Holy Father continue to improve, which allows the Pope to spend long periods of the day in an armchair," said Mr Navarro-Valls.

"No complications have arisen because of the tracheotomy surgery. Continual improvement can also be seen in speaking, thanks to the daily rehabilitation.

THE POPE'S ILLNESS 1 Feb: Taken to hospital with "breathing difficulties brought on by flu" 6 Feb: Appears at hospital window and reads part of Angelus blessing in weak voice 9 Feb: Misses Ash Wednesday services at the Vatican 10 Feb: Returns to Vatican in motorcade, waving 13 Feb: Appears for Sunday blessing at Vatican 22 Feb: Launches book in which he compares abortion to the Holocaust 24 Feb: Returns to hospital following a relapse; has tracheotomy 27 Feb: Makes surprise appearance at hospital window 6 Mar: Makes silent blessing from hospital window Pope's medical bulletins Gemelli: The Pope's hospital

But, he added, "doctors have prescribed a prudent limitation in the Pope's use of his voice".

The Vatican said it would issue its next health update on Thursday.

The Pope, whose health is complicated by Parkinson's disease, which leads to a gradual reduction of muscle control, was admitted to hospital on 24 February with breathing difficulties.

He had a tube inserted into his windpipe to ease his breathing. Mr Navarro-Valls said doctors would decide when the tube could be removed.

It was the second time in a month that the Pope had to be taken to hospital. He spent 10 days at the same hospital earlier in February suffering from flu-related symptoms.