Pope John Paul has left hospital, ending a 10-day stay for severe breathing problems that have revived concern about his health and the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church.
The frail Pope waved weakly to onlookers on Thursday as he drove out of Rome's Gemelli hospital in a glass-topped Popemobile, with security staff running alongside his motorcade.
Hospital patients, some in their dressing gowns and slippers, lined the path, clapping as the Popemobile passed.
The 84-year-old Pontiff was rushed to hospital on February 1 with acute breathing difficulties caused by influenza and complicated by Parkinson's disease.
His hospitalisation caused concern throughout the Catholic world as faithful feared that one of the most historic pontificates was coming to an end.
But the Church was cautiously upbeat throughout the past 10 days and Vatican watchers said his high profile departure from hospital, shown live on Italian television, was intended to calm fears over his health and show he had recovered.
"The acute laryngotracheitis that necessitated the urgent hospitalisation of the Holy Father has healed," chief Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls told reporters, adding that medical tests had excluded any other type of problem.
The Pope, who no longer walks and also suffers from severe arthritis, made a brief appearance from his hospital window on Sunday but looked very weak, was barely able to recite a brief blessing and relied on an aide to read his message.
On Wednesday, he failed for the first time in his 26 years as head of the Roman Catholic Church to preside at Ash Wednesday ceremonies starting the penitential season of Lent.
atican sources said the Pope hoped to make an appearance from his window overlooking St Peter's Square on Sunday before joining a previously scheduled one-week Lenten retreat inside the Vatican when all other appointments are cancelled.