Pope nearing death Vatican officials say Tens of thousands turn out pray as pontiff deterioratesNBC News and news services Pope John Paul II was near death as dawn approached Saturday his breathing shallow and his heart and kidneys failing the Vatican said. Millions of faithful around the world paid homage many weeping as they knelt with bowed heads others carrying candles in prayer for the 84-year-old pontiff. The pope is on the verge of death Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan head of the Vatican s health care office told the Mexican television network Televisa. I talked to the doctors and they told me there is no more hope.” Addressing the crowd at St. Peter’s Square where as many as 70 000 people prayed and stood vigil in the chilly night Angelo Comastri the pope’s vicar general for Vatican City said This evening or this night Christ opens the door to the pope ” At times the huge gathering fell so silent the sound of the square’s trickling fountains was audible. At other points the crowd sang Stay with us!” As dawn broke over the square the crowd was considerably diminished with a group of about 100 faithful continuing their vigil from overnight. They huddled around a message written with prayer candles placed on the ground that read con te ” Italian for with you.” In a sign of the pope’s decline several cardinals said they were heading to Rome including Roger Mahony archbishop of Los Angeles and William Keeler archbishop of Baltimore Maryland. After the official mourning period following the death of a pope cardinals hold a secret vote in the Sistine Chapel to choose a successor. John Paul prepares to meet the Lord Around the world priests readied Roman Catholics for John Paul’s passing. Many expressed hope that his final hours would be peaceful. Now he prepares to meet the Lord ” Cardinal Francis George said at a Mass in Chicago. As the portals of death open for him as they will for each of us ... we must accompany him with our own prayers.” The Vatican said Friday morning that John Paul was in very grave” condition after suffering blood poisoning from a urinary tract infection the previous night but that he was fully conscious and extraordinarily serene.” The pope was being treated by the Vatican medical team and declined to be hospitalized. By Friday night the pope’s condition had worsened further and he was suffering from kidney failure and shortness of breath but had not lost consciousness as of 9:30 p.m. the Vatican said.