THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Pope Benedict XVI briefly nodded off in front of tens of thousands of people during an outdoor mass in Malta's capital, Valletta.
The Pope slumped forward around halfway through the mass, which was held just outside the historic stone walls encircling the city.
He had to be roused by the Vatican's master of ceremonies, Bishop Guido Marini, who was sitting next to him and gently nudged him.
"It was just for a few seconds," said an onlooker. "He slumped forward onto his chest."
Although the pontiff spent only 26 hours in Malta after flying in from Rome on Saturday, he had a busy and tiring schedule of events – meeting dignitaries and Malta's president, waving to crowds from his "Pope-mobile" and expressing his sorrow to a group of sex abuse victims.
But his apparent exhaustion is also a reflection of his age – he turned 83 on Friday. Pope falls asleep during mass >>> Nick Squires in Valletta | Sunday, April 18, 2010
