Some 6,000 children helped the pope mark his birthday

VATICAN CITY -- Pope John Paul II celebrated his 82nd birthday on Saturday, looking on wistfully as a children's band sang "Happy Birthday," and expressing thanks for good wishes from all over the world.

"Thanks, so much thanks for your wishes," John Paul said during a brief public audience in a Vatican auditorium. He kissed a young child who was brought to him from a crowd of some 6,000 cheering, scarf-waving, youngsters, including many who brought him flowers.

The pontiff's eyes looked melancholy as he listened to the music, and at one point he looked reflective as he cupped one hand to support his head.

The list of those sending birthday wishes reflected the pope's popularity around the globe during his 23-year papacy and his ability to transcend religious divides.

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Among the well-wishers were a bishop in Wanxian, China, Rome's mayor, who is a former Communist, and Italy's deputy premier, who is a former neo-fascist, The Associated Press reported.

Among the many gifts was some maple syrup from by Toronto's mayor. Canada is one of the countries the pope is scheduled to visit later this year as he continues to spiritually tend to his flock around the world despite his health problems.

John Paul, who leaves on Wednesday for a grueling trip to Azerbaijan and Bulgaria, seemed keen to conserve his energy.

In a departure from custom, he read only the first few and last few lines of a two-page speech, leaving most of the speech to be read by an assistant.

Earlier in the week, two cardinals said they thought the pope would retire if his health became so bad he could not long lead the Roman Catholic church and its more than 1 billion faithful.

But the Vatican's No. 2, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, on Friday brushed aside talk of the pope's stepping down. "The pope is at the helm of ship and all we who work at the Vatican's Curia are at the oars," Sodano, who is Vatican secretary of state, told Italian state TV.

The front page Saturday of the Vatican's newspaper L'Osservatore Romano reprinted words John Paul had said to pilgrims during his general audience on Wednesday when he asked for prayers of support "to carry on with faithfulness the ministry that the Lord has entrusted to me."

Next to a full-sized photo of a smiling pope, the paper ran its birthday wish: "Many you have many more years, Holy Father!"

As on past birthdays, John Paul's 82nd was a regular working day.

Besides meeting with the youngsters, he received a group of bishops from Ecuador. The only other special touch was a lunch with a few cardinals and a cake baked by one of the nuns from his Polish homeland who help run his household.

As the birthday approached, talk increased about the pope's future. Symptoms of Parkinson's disease, including a hand tremor, curved posture and rigid facial muscles, make it difficult for him to speak and move around during appearances.

John Paul lately has often sounded short of breath during speeches, and during Easter week services earlier this spring he was forced to let other prelates carry out some of the ceremonial duties.

At the end of Saturday's appearance, John Paul stepped gingerly onto a platform that aides then wheeled to take him out of the auditorum.