Ailing pontiff’s last public appearance at apartment window

(30 Mar 2005) SHOTLIST 1. Wide shot Vatican building 2. Close up, window, Pope John Paul II appears, blesses pilgrims 3. Cutaway young boy in audience pointing at window 4. Pope John Paul II given microphone, tries to speak, microphone taken away, blesses crowd and is wheeled back into room 5. Wide of Vatican Square with pilgrims STORYLINE A stunned crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square went completely silent as a Vatican official announced Pope John Paul II had died. John Paul last appeared at his studio window for about four minutes on Wednesday 30 March 2005, blessing pilgrims and trying but failing to speak. The ailing pontiff raised his hand in blessing and made the sign of the cross as a Vatican official read greetings and prayers. The pope appeared alert during the appearance, which drew cheers from thousands of pilgrims gathered in in St. Peter’s Square beneath his window. The crowds never left. The appearance came amid media reports that the 84-year-old pontiff may have to return to the hospital to have a feeding tube inserted since he is having trouble swallowing with the breathing tube that was inserted last month. However, a spokesman at Polyclinic Gemelli hospital where John Paul was rushed twice last month, on Wednesday said there was no plan to hospitalise the pope. As it was the pope never returned, preferring to remain to the end in his apartment at the Vatican which he considered home. Find out more about AP Archive: Twitter: Facebook: ​​ Instagram: You can license this story through AP Archive: