Life support resumes for vegetative Frenchman as Vatican steps in

The Vatican on Tuesday urged that a Frenchman who has been in a vegetative state for over a decade be kept alive, as doctors switched his support systems back on following a surprise court order.

The legal saga over the fate of Vincent Lambert, who has been kept alive after a traffic accident in 2008, has lasted over half a decade, splitting his family and public opinion.

Lawyers for Lambert's parents -- practising Catholics who oppose any move to let their son die -- said the systems had been switched back on following the court ruling late Monday.

In an extraordinary sequence of events, the Paris appeals court ruled that the life support should resume, hours after doctors had switched it off following a previous verdict from another court.

"We have the pleasure to inform you that... the hydration and feeding of Vincent Lambert has been resumed," said Jean Paillot, a lawyer for the parents, outside the hospital in the northern city of Reims.

Stepping into the debate, the Vatican said it hoped "effective solutions can be found as soon as possible to protect the life" of Lambert.

Interrupting feeding and hydration is a "grave violation of the dignity of the person," said the statement.

Pope Francis had also weighed in Monday in favour of keeping Lambert alive, saying: "Let us always safeguard life, God's gift, from its beginning until its natural end."
French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday rejected calls by Lambert's parents and others to intervene, saying "the decision to stop treatment was taken after a constant dialogue between his doctors and his wife, who is his legal representative."