Pope John Paul II has no intention of relinquishing the leadership of the Catholic Church, despite failing health, a top Vatican-based cardinal said.
"I don't believe we are in a situation where he would step down, because we cannot say that the pope is unable to lead the Church," Chilean Cardinal Jorge Medina was quoted by the website www.Terra.cl as saying.
"His health is affected, but not to the point where he can no longer accomplish the most important acts of government," said Medina, 76, who is reported to be close to the pope.
"I repeat. He is not incapable of governing," he added in the interview, given Tuesday in Rome.
Also Tuesday, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, one of the Vatican's top officials, urged Catholics to pray for the 83-year-old church leader, saying he was in "bad" health.
"His health is bad. We should pray for the pope," said Ratzinger.
In his interview, Medina agreed that the pope's health had "deteriorated".
"But I have no information which allows me to believe that it is something serious. Simply the result of age and the ailments from which he suffers."
"There is nothing to suggest that he is thinking of stepping down. He has repeated several times his wish to continue his mission."
John Paul II, who this month marks the 25th anniversary of his pontificate, suffers from Parkinson's disease and arthitis, a combination which has left him almost immobile.
He has seemed increasingly frail and weak since a visit to Slovakia last month, when he failed to complete a single address.