by Carol Glatz
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- News of Pope John Paul II's worsening medical condition moved countless men and women to pray for the leader of the world's 1 billion Catholics.

Refugees in South Africa, the sick and disabled in Bangladesh and missionaries in Uganda found a way to communicate to the Vatican that their prayers were with the Holy Father in his suffering.

Fides, the news agency of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, received scores of messages from religious around the world after the Vatican reported the pope's quickly deteriorating health March 31.

Catholics in China were engaged in intense prayer for the pope, and the media there were giving continual updates on the pope's condition, Fides reported April 1.

Even the Chinese government, which does not have diplomatic ties with the Vatican, sent wishes for the pope's recovery, according to the Italian news agency, ANSA.

Moscow's cathedral dedicated a morning Mass April 1 to the Holy Father, followed by an appeal by Moscow Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, who called on the faithful to "pray that the pontiff gets better," said ANSA.

Polish Muslims were gathered in prayer at city mosques and places of worship throughout the pope's homeland, ANSA reported April 1.

"It's obvious that we will pray also for the pope," as part of Friday's prayers, said Tomasz Miskiewicz, head of Poland's Muslim community.

Meanwhile, many of the world's poor and suffering in Africa and Asia were sending messages of hope and sympathy for Pope John Paul.

In the Philippines, "Thousands of Catholics, especially Manila's poor and outcast, filled churches to pray for the pope," said Fides.

"We sympathize with our Holy Father in his present state of suffering," said Burundi's bishops. "May God comfort him in his suffering."