The Vatican has released a video showing Pope John Paul II speaking for the first time since his throat operation two weeks ago.
The footage is from a meeting Friday with bishops from Tanzania. He utters a few words during the exchange in Rome's Gemelli hospital.
The Vatican also released a written statement from the Pope reiterating his view that fidelity within a marriage, and sexual abstinence outside marriage are the only sure ways to limit the spread of HIV-AIDS.
Vatican officials say they expect the 84-year-old pontiff to be released from the hospital by March 20, the beginning of Holy Week.
He has been hospitalized since February 24, when he had a tube surgically inserted into his windpipe to ease his breathing troubles.
Some information for this story provided by AFP and Reuters.
