LOURDES, France, Aug 15 (AFP) - An ailing but determined Pope John Paul II celebrated an open air mass on Sunday in front of more than 100,000 pilgrims at the Roman Catholic shrine to the Virgin Mary in Lourdes.
The 84-year-old pontiff arrived on his popemobile from a nearby residence for sick pilgrims, where he stayed overnight in an apartment, and was greeted with wild whoops of joy as he passed through the waiting crowd.
He acknowledged them with an arm raised in blessing.
The religious service is the highpoint of the pope`s two-day pilgrimage to this southern French town.
He appeared in reasonably good form for a man stricken with Parkinson`s disease and arthritis who is undertaking an energy-sapping foreign visit, the 104th of his pontificate.
But he displayed worrying signs of his poor health on Saturday, the first day of his trip, when he appeared tired and at one stage alarmed aides when he stumbled while kneeling at the Grotto of the Apparitions.
He appeared to recover during a scheduled afternoon rest later and seemed reasonably well during two ceremonies later in the evening.
The Grotto, where Catholics believe the Virgin Mary appeared in a series of visions to a young local girl in 1858, is reputed to have healing powers and is a magnet for millions of pilgrims who travel to Lourdes every year.