Frail pope cuts back Holy Week participation

<br>VATICAN CITY (AP) _ Appearing increasingly frail, Pope John Paul II has cut back his participation in Good Friday and other Holy Week ceremonies. <br><br>The pontiff, who will be 82 in May and suffers

Friday, March 29th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

VATICAN CITY (AP) _ Appearing increasingly frail, Pope John Paul II has cut back his participation in Good Friday and other Holy Week ceremonies.

The pontiff, who will be 82 in May and suffers from symptoms of Parkinson's, has been ceding his place to other prelates at the main altar during ceremonies and is expected to continue this solution through Easter Sunday.

For the first time in his 23-year papacy, John Paul let Cardinal Angelo Sodano and Cardinal Roger Etchegaray perform the ritual washing and kissing of the feet of priests, a Holy Thursday ritual symbolizing humility.

Just a year ago, the pope was able to move down a line of a dozen seated, white-robed priests, pouring water on each man's right foot from a golden pitcher, wiping them dry and bringing the feet to his lips.

Holy Week is a grueling time for John Paul, with a packed schedule of public appearances. He is scheduled to perform a Good Friday service at the Colosseum, a vigil service on Saturday night and an Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square on Sunday.

The Good Friday procession, which symbolizes Jesus' path to his crucifixion, has been modified in deference to John Paul's age and health. He used to carry a wooden cross for the entire half-mile procession, but stopped last year.

Symptoms of Parkinson's were evident Thursday. The pope's hands trembled badly as he clasped them, and his speech was often slurred. He also seemed unsure of his balance, gripping the rail of his cart when raising his hand in blessing.

The Vatican hasn't mentioned the pope's health during Holy Week, but said Feb. 23 that he had a joint disease, arthrosis, in one of his knees. He has since canceled a number of public appearances.

Marco Politi, a papal biographer writing Friday in the Rome newspaper La Repubblica, said John Paul's aides are wondering how he will cope with the stairs to get on and off an airplane. Ahead of him are trips scheduled in May to Bulgaria, in July to Canada, Mexico and Guatemala and in August to Poland.

Politi also wrote that the Vatican has resisted suggestions that John Paul use a wheelchair.