Pope's convalescence revives memories of John Paul II's agony

Pope Francis's convalescence has revived memories of the painful end of John Paul II's life, highlighting the need to balance protecting his fragile health with keeping him in the public eye.

The head of the Catholic Church returned home to the Vatican on March 23 after five weeks in hospital with life-threatening pneumonia, ordered to rest for at least two months of convalescence.

The image of the 88-year-old pontiff waving from a wheelchair on a hospital balcony, his voice weak and unable to raise his arms, set the tone for a new chapter in his papacy.

It brought to mind the final months of John Paul II, a charismatic sportsman who had become a shell of himself, unable to speak, by his death on April 2, 2005.

Since leaving Rome's Gemelli hospital, Francis has not been seen in public, nor have any engagements been scheduled for the coming weeks.

Yet as celebrations for the 2025 Jubilee holy year progress without him, and ahead of Easter, the most important period in the Catholic calendar, the Argentine's absence is being keenly felt.

Showing the pope in all his fragility risks fuelling concerns about his health, and speculation that he might resign, as did his predecessor, Benedict XVI.

But his continued absence could also be seen as evidence that the Church has no leader.

"It's a delicate balance," confirmed a Vatican source.

While in decades past, the pope could appear only from time to time, "today, we live in an image-driven society; we have to be visible", the source added.

This is all the more pressing in an era dominated by social media, where disinformation is rife -- including about the pope, who many online believe already has died.

However long it lasts, Francis's convalescence represents a clear change for the pope, a liberal reformer who loves nothing more than being among his flock.

He is energised by crowds, whether kissing infants or tasting mate, a traditional South American herbal infusion. But these scenarios now seem impossible.

Many believe Francis must also change his style of governing, from imposing his own personal will to relying more on colleagues.

Yet since his hospital admission on February 14, he has continued to make decisions, from appointing new bishops and decreeing new saints, to commenting on current events, such as the war in Gaza and the devastating Myanmar earthquake.

Roberto Regoli, an Italian priest and professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University, told AFP that the image of the papacy had long been that of the pope himself.

John Paul II, who was only 58 when he took over in 1978, "used his body a lot in communication" to signal a vital Church, skiing and swimming, Regoli said.

But this changed as his health declined, and he noted that Francis's papacy will also change.

"We no longer have the image of the pope, but the written word of the pope," Regoli said.

"It's a change in the register of communication, which is now more institutional and less personal."

The continued flow of documents show the pope is still very much in control, despite his current physical fragility.

"At the end, John Paul II was so unwell that it was said he was practically no longer in charge: he was told what to do," added the Vatican source.

Yet the Polish pontiff had a close group around him, which is not the case with Francis, "who has always been suspicious", the source noted.

Another difference is that John Paul II knew he was doomed by illness, whereas Francis could bounce back.

In the corridors of the Vatican, only one word now reigns: uncertainty.