Pope John Paul's health is continuing to improve and he is eating regularly, the Vatican said today.
The fragile 84-year-old pontiff is being treated in a Rome hospital for flu and respiratory troubles.
"The state of health of the Holy Father has improved," said papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls, reading from a brief Vatican medical bulletin.
He said tests confirmed that the pope 's latest health crisis had stabilised, and that there was a "favourable evolution" of the breathing troubles he suffered earlier in the week.
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Vatican Radio said John Paul spent a third restful night at Rome's Gemelli Polytechnic hospital, and officials said he could be fit enough to make his weekly address to the faithful over an audio hook-up on Sunday.