Frail pope faces demanding Cuba itinerary

A sudden spell of weakness 10 days before his departure underlined worries about the 77-year-old pope's health. Leading a baptismal service Sunday in the Sistine Chapel, John Paul lurched forward and was immediately supported by one of his assistants.

The Vatican denied an Italian news report that the pope had suffered a dizzy spell. But officials no longer minimize his frailty.

``He hobbles. Sometimes he has to lean on his staff,'' said papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls, adding that John Paul has walked with difficulty since undergoing hip replacement surgery after a fall in his bathroom in 1994.

The historic trip to Cuba -- the pope's first -- carries much weight for John Paul, offering him a chance to enhance the Roman Catholic Church's profile there after nearly four decades under communism.

He faces a taxing schedule.

In addition to the transatlantic flights, he will travel by air to the Cuban interior on three consecutive days, returning to Havana each evening. He will deliver about two speeches a day, meet with his clergy and try to mingle with the faithful, if recent trips are any guide.

Temperatures in Cuba average in the 80s in January and the pontiff, a native of Poland, has never fared well in tropical heat. During a 1995 visit to Sri Lanka, the pope made an unscheduled stop to change clothes when he became bathed in sweat in a nonair-conditioned car.

John Paul has a long history of medical problems, dating to 1981 when a would-be assassin shot him in the stomach.

In 1992, doctors removed what the Vatican said was a benign colon tumor. The pope was last hospitalized in 1996 for an operation to remove an inflamed appendix.

In addition, slurred speech and a tremble in John Paul's left hand are possible symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

Although the Vatican has never confirmed the pope suffers from that ailment, it has acknowledged that the pope may have an ``extra-pyramidal syndrome'' -- which could be one of many problems, including Parkinson's. Extra-pyramidal refers to the part of the motor system that controls nonvoluntary movement.

Still, John Paul keeps bouncing back.

During a Jan. 3 visit to Italian earthquake victims in Assisi, Franciscan monks said the pope, running late, skipped the rest period set aside for him. He then ate a hearty lunch of cured beef and Parmesan cheese, pasta and braised veal, washed down with Umbrian wine.

As often happens when he is outside the Vatican, the much-traveled pope appeared in high spirits, turning down a limousine ride to walk through the crowds.

And he recovered quickly after Sunday's spell, appearing strong as he led the nearly two-hour Mass and service, where he baptized 19 babies.