VATICAN CITY - Pope John Paul II will leave the hospital today, the Vatican announced, 10 days after the 84-year-old pope was rushed to a Rome clinic with breathing spasms that rekindled questions about his frail health and ability to carry on.

Papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the pope was "cured" of the breathing crisis that led to his urgent hospitalization on Feb. 1 and that his general condition was continuing to improve.

Navarro-Valls said a battery of tests including a CAT scan had "excluded other pathologies," meaning it ruled out any new illnesses.

He said the pope would return later today to his apartment in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace, which would coincide with a traditional Lenten period of spiritual reflection for the pontiff with no public ceremonies. That way, the pontiff could try to regain strength before Easter without having to cancel anything.

The pope, who also suffers from Parkinson's disease and crippling hip and knee ailments, was taken by ambulance to Rome's Gemelli Polyclinic for emergency treatment of respiratory problems two days after coming down with the flu.

John Paul's ninth night in his private mini-ward on the 10th floor was uneventful, the Italian news agency ANSA reported today.

In a downside first for his 26-year papacy, John Paul was forced to skip the Ash Wednesday ritual in St. Peter's Basilica because of his hospitalization.

Doctors at Gemelli refused to discuss the pope's condition, but the Vatican press office had issued its own medical bulletin every few days describing John Paul's continued improvement. His doctors had persuaded him to prolong his stay just to be on the safe side.

Faithful and churchmen will be watching Sunday to see if he makes another window appearance like he did last week.

No pope has resigned for centuries, and John Paul repeatedly has said he intends to carry out his mission until the end.