Welcome Pope Francis to the Philippines!

(Photo courtesy of theguardian.com)

 

Today is a historic day for the Philippines.  Pope Francis will arrive today and will visit our country from January 15 - 19, 2015.  This will happen after 20 years when the last Pope John Paul II, now Saint John Paul visited the Philippines on the year 1995. He will be the third Pope who will visit the country after Blessed Pope Paul VI (1970) and Pope Saint John Paul II (1981 and 1995).  

On January 18, Pope Francis will conduct a public mass at Quirino Grandstand at the Luneta where an estimated 5 million Roman Catholic devotees will attend and will meet religious leaders at the University of Santo Thomas at Sampaloc, Manila. He will have a meeting of the Youth at the UST grandstand on the same day.  The Pope will visit Tacloban, and Palo, Leyte where he will pay homage to the victims of typhoon Yolanda.  The theme of the papal visit is "Mercy and Compassion". 

 

This is a very significant week for all Filipinos wherein the Pope's visit will be the focus of the whole nation.  I will not be able to watch personally the visit of the Pope in the Philippines since I'm already here in KSA from my vacation.  My only hope and wish that this visit of Pope Francis will strengthen the faith of Filipinos to God and will bring more love, peace, oneness, prosperity, and blessings to our country. 

 

As part of the Papal's visit, the official theme song is sang by Miss Jamie Rivera titled "We Are All God's Children".  The theme song is all about humility and solidarity with the poor and mercy for the weak.