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CNN Sunday Morning
Thousands of People Gather in Vatican to Wish Pope Happy Birthday
Aired May 18, 2003 - 10:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. And it is Sunday today.
Thousands of people have gathered in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican to wish Pope John Paul II a happy birthday, his 83rd, in fact.
Today the pope also canonized four more saints. More from the CNN's Rome bureau chief Alessio Vinci.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALESSIO VINCI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Take a look at the front page of the "L'Osservatore Romano," which is the official newspaper at the Vatican, May 18, 2003, a giant picture of Pope John Paul II in Spain. And the quote down here, "Tu se giovani" (ph), "You are young." And these are the words that the young people in Spain used to greet Pope John Paul II, a pope that, indeed, feels very young on his 83rd birthday.
He spent this day doing what he likes to do best and that is working.
(voice-over) And in St. Peter's Square today he presided over a ceremony canonizing four more Catholics, two from Poland and two from Italy, all this in front of a large crowd of pilgrims that came from all over the world, including from his native Poland.
The Vatican not really celebrating the pope's birthday today. The real anniversary comes later this year in mid-October when the Vatican will celebrate the pontiff's 25th anniversary of his papacy and Pope John Paul II is already the fourth longest pontiff in history.
Pope John Paul II, receiving birthday messages from all over the world and not just from dignitaries but also from ordinary people who are able to send in an e-mail with their birthday wishes. The Vatican web site has set up a special link through which well-wishers can send in their birthday messages.
No word yet on how many messages he has received. But one Vatican official said he is receiving an avalanche of messages.
What is very interesting this year during this ceremony is that the pope looks much better than he was a year ago when his birthday was marked by renewed concerns about his frail health and indeed speculation that the pope was about to resign. This time the pope during the ceremony spoke with a very firm voice, very strong and clear voice.
The ailment that the pope is suffering from still remains, however, visible. He does still have a trembling arm with many have speculated that it is Parkinson's Disease. And indeed, one top Vatican cardinal, in an interview with a leading Italian newspaper, acknowledged for the first time that the pope is, indeed, suffering from Parkinson's Disease. He said that the pope's secret arm -- weapon against fighting Parkinson's Disease is the prayer.
So a special day for Pope John Paul II here at the Vatican. We thank the thousands of pilgrims who all came to St. Peter's Square to wish him a happy birthday. And the big anniversary coming up later this year, when the pope celebrates his 29th anniversary as the pope.
(on camera) I'm Alessio Vinci, CNN, reporting from Rome.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Birthday>
Aired May 18, 2003 - 10:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. And it is Sunday today.
Thousands of people have gathered in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican to wish Pope John Paul II a happy birthday, his 83rd, in fact.
Today the pope also canonized four more saints. More from the CNN's Rome bureau chief Alessio Vinci.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALESSIO VINCI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Take a look at the front page of the "L'Osservatore Romano," which is the official newspaper at the Vatican, May 18, 2003, a giant picture of Pope John Paul II in Spain. And the quote down here, "Tu se giovani" (ph), "You are young." And these are the words that the young people in Spain used to greet Pope John Paul II, a pope that, indeed, feels very young on his 83rd birthday.
He spent this day doing what he likes to do best and that is working.
(voice-over) And in St. Peter's Square today he presided over a ceremony canonizing four more Catholics, two from Poland and two from Italy, all this in front of a large crowd of pilgrims that came from all over the world, including from his native Poland.
The Vatican not really celebrating the pope's birthday today. The real anniversary comes later this year in mid-October when the Vatican will celebrate the pontiff's 25th anniversary of his papacy and Pope John Paul II is already the fourth longest pontiff in history.
Pope John Paul II, receiving birthday messages from all over the world and not just from dignitaries but also from ordinary people who are able to send in an e-mail with their birthday wishes. The Vatican web site has set up a special link through which well-wishers can send in their birthday messages.
No word yet on how many messages he has received. But one Vatican official said he is receiving an avalanche of messages.
What is very interesting this year during this ceremony is that the pope looks much better than he was a year ago when his birthday was marked by renewed concerns about his frail health and indeed speculation that the pope was about to resign. This time the pope during the ceremony spoke with a very firm voice, very strong and clear voice.
The ailment that the pope is suffering from still remains, however, visible. He does still have a trembling arm with many have speculated that it is Parkinson's Disease. And indeed, one top Vatican cardinal, in an interview with a leading Italian newspaper, acknowledged for the first time that the pope is, indeed, suffering from Parkinson's Disease. He said that the pope's secret arm -- weapon against fighting Parkinson's Disease is the prayer.
So a special day for Pope John Paul II here at the Vatican. We thank the thousands of pilgrims who all came to St. Peter's Square to wish him a happy birthday. And the big anniversary coming up later this year, when the pope celebrates his 29th anniversary as the pope.
(on camera) I'm Alessio Vinci, CNN, reporting from Rome.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Birthday>
