A priest read out most of a speech from Pope John Paul to mark his 82nd birthday today, apparently to conserve the pontiff's strength.
The Pope personally delivered the opening remarks to an audience of tens of thousands of children, then the priest read out most of it and the Pope read the end. The address was in Italian.
The Pope sometimes delegates assistants to read public speeches in difficult languages, but in the past has usually read speeches in Italian in full himself.
Today's arrangement appeared to have been decided ahead of time and not to have been determined by any sudden change in the frail Pope's condition.
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"Thank you very much for your greetings", the Pope told the crowds of children after they sang Happy Birthday to him.