Pope John Paul spent a peaceful night in hospital after receiving urgent medical treatment for breathing difficulties, a Vatican source said Wednesday. 

The 84-year-old Pope was rushed to Rome's Gemelli Hospital late Tuesday after a bout of influenza suddenly worsened, raising fears that one of the longest and most remarkable papacies might be drawing to a close.

However, Vatican officials urged caution yesterday, saying there was no need for alarm.

"The Pope rested well. Let's stay calm about this," said a Vatican priest, who declined to be named.

Doctors had been expected to release a medical bulletin on the Pope's health at 9:00 AM, but staff at the Gemelli Hospital said they would not be making any statements.

"We have nothing to say on the Pope's condition and nowhere to say it," said Gemelli spokesman Nicola Cerbino.

The Vatican said on Tuesday night the Pope had suffered an acute attack of laryngospasm, a blockage of air to the lungs, and needed urgent medical care. But it said his condition did not warrant him being placed in an intensive care unit.

The Polish Pontiff has been treated at least six times in the Gemelli during his 26-year papacy, and has his own suite on the 10th floor of the hospital on the outskirts of Rome.

Medical experts said acute laryngospasm was very rarely fatal, but cautioned that the Pope's age and medical history complicated matters.

"He has other medical problems and anything that perturbs his respiratory system is probably a serious event," said Gerald Berke, chief of head and neck surgery at the University of California at Los Angeles Medical Center.

The Pope has occasionally had difficulty in breathing since he developed Parkinson's disease a decade ago, a disorder of the central nervous system that can affect chest muscle activity. The flu apparently complicated his condition.

The Pope came down with the flu on Sunday and cancelled all his public engagements for Monday, Tuesday and yesterday. The last time he skipped an audience for health reasons was in September 2003, when he had an intestinal ailment.

Rome has been hit by an unusual cold snap and the winter chill has coincided with an outbreak of influenza across Italy that has laid up one out of 100 people.

The Pope's health had been steady in recent months, but over the past decade, the world has watched as the man slowed down to the point where he could no longer walk or pronounce most of his speeches.

Each time the Pope's health faltered, speculation has bubbled up over his possible successor.

John Paul, the first non-Italian Pope in 455 years, has appointed nearly all the cardinals who will enter a conclave to elect his successor, thus stacking the odds that the next Pope will not tamper with controversial church teachings.

(China Daily February 3, 2005)