Doctor confirms Pope has Parkinson's Disease
The first medic to publicly acknowledge that Pope John Paul II has Parkinson's Disease fears the pontiff will not cut down his heavy workload.
Italian orthopaedic surgeon Gianfranco Fineschi told Oggi magazine: "Every time the Pope sets off on a journey or when he gets tired during an official engagement, I fear for him."
He said the 80-year-old Pope had had a gruelling jubilee year in which he had attended engagements almost every day.
"I should order him to rest but it would be futile," Mr Fineschi said.
"The various operations he has had and the Parkinson's Disease have made him suffer much," he added.
The health fears have led to speculation the Pope could be the first in 700 years to retire, but this has been dismissed by the Vatican.
