Paris, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2005, updated the 25th

CNN and other media have reported that the a tracheotomy has been performed on the Pope, who was taken to the hospital today. That occurred a little before 8 pm GMT. A tracheotomy is an operation that creates an airway that bypasses the mouth, penetrating the soft spot on the neck. This will open the airway in any case, it can be used by doctors to clean and suction fluid from the lungs, and can be used for a respirator is inserted directly into the neck.

In a statement yesterday, the Vatican said: "The flu syndrome which this morning made it necessary to hospitalize the Holy Father at the Polyclinic Gemelli became complicated over the past few days by the return of episodes of acute difficulty in breathing, caused by a pre-existing functional stenosis of the larynx.

"Such a clinical presentation called for an elective tracheotomy to assure adequate ventilation of the patient and to help resolve the pathology of the larynx."

The daily Vatican briefing is scheduled for noon CET Friday.

We will have the charts available soon. However, they point to a complicated situation that will likely develop quickly. Two aspects in particular stand out. The first is in the Holy Father's secondary progressed chart. The progressed Moon is the thing to watch, and it is currently making a close, applying conjunction to his progressed Pluto. This is a progressed event that happens just once every 27 years or so, and the fact that it's occurring now is not particularly encouraging. It suggests a major change, and when you are 84, sick with Parkinson's and beginning to come down with serious infections, there are not many changes available.

The second is that he is at the age when it's possible to have a Uranus return. Uranus has an 84 year orbit, and the Pope is in the middle of this transit right now. What is occurring, however, is that the Sun is in a direct conjunction to that aspect. In other words, there is a conjunction of the Sun and Uranus on his natal Uranus. This, too, is an aspect that points to imminent change -- Uranus is always about change and it tends to move quickly.

This transiting conjunction, which to some extent effects everyone, involves the asteroid (minor planet) Juno, the 'divine consort'. Juno represents that to which we are betrothed, and conjunct the Sun and Uranus, what is changing is the relationship. The Pope is literally married to God; priests wear a wedding band (though he wears the Papal ring).

We will continue to watch this story and the astrology, and invite anyone in the reading audience who follows Vatican history to please get in touch. You may drop me an email at francis@planetwaves.net. Thanks.

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