by Carol Glatz
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- As soon as news of Pope John Paul II's hospitalization spread beyond Vatican City, journalists based in Rome flocked to Gemelli Hospital to cover the story.

What looked like a forest of camera tripods and satellite antennas quickly sprouted up outside the Rome hospital Feb. 2.

Well-wishers and pilgrims added to the media crowd, with all eyes and lenses focused on the 10th floor, where the pope has his own private room.

Only Vatican officials and Rome VIPs, like Mayor Walter Veltroni, were allowed access to the hospital's upper levels to relay their wishes for the pope's full recovery from respiratory complications from the flu.

As the number of journalists crammed into the hospital foyer mushroomed to 150 by late morning Feb. 2, guards were called in. Police linked their arms, forming a human fence around the journalists to keep them from wandering around the hospital in search of the pope and the perfect scoop.

But in the rest of the hospital it was business as usual.

People needing to make appointments with their doctors patiently took a numbered ticket from a machine and waited their turn. Incoming patients received treatment, and visitors called on family members.

Hospital staffers, however, knew it was not just another typical day when they had the head of the universal church under their roof.

Dr. Luca Gianotta, an orthopedic surgeon at Gemelli, told Catholic News Service Feb. 2: "Everyone here loves him. He is very strong. I believe in him."

But while the hospital was abuzz with activity St. Peter's Square seemed deserted.

The Vatican had canceled the Feb. 2 general audience two days before, since the pope was suffering from the early stages of the flu as of Jan. 30.

Just a handful of disappointed pilgrims wandered around the square, enjoying the brilliant sunshine with the other tourists.

"We flew all the way from Sicily to see the pope," said Giuseppe Marchi, who was in the square with his wife, Giovanna Sulsenti.

"We feel very badly he is sick. He is a very good person, and he is loved by everyone because he is so wonderful," she said.

A small group of Franciscan friars from the Philippines were admiring the Nativity scene in St. Peter's Square as they told CNS they were praying for the pope's full recovery.

"We pray he has the strength to go on, because there is lots of crisis in the world," said Father Augustin Cuenca.

The pope, especially in his suffering, "is our image of Christ," he said.

Even the taxi drivers parked in front of St. Peter's Square were sending their prayers to the pope.

"The least we can do is hope he gets better," said driver Massimo Lenci. "Rome without the pope is like Rome without the Colosseum."

Of the thousands of pilgrims who missed out on the audience, large groups instead made their way across town to Gemelli Hospital.

A youth choir from Australia turned their missed audience into a mission to give the pope a private serenade.

They grouped under what they thought was the pope's hospital window and, accompanied by acoustic guitars, sang "Wonderwall" by the British group Oasis.

"It's an uplifting song that we hope will make him feel better," said choir member Steve Jelly, 19.

Choirmaster Paul Robertson said the unexpected trip to the hospital was "the culmination of the group's pilgrimage."

"Because the pope is sick, they thought they would go to him. When they couldn't meet him face to face, they thought they'd do it by song," he said.