CNN, AFP, Reuters, all of them conclude that an estimate of around 6 million people went to Luneta today to hear mass celebrated by Pope Francis. This afternoon at 3pm, was the culminating activity for the 5-day visit of the Pope to the Philippines before he returns to Rome tomorrow.
It was more than 2 hours, a multi-lingual mass celebrated with 200++ bishops and priests from all over the Philippines. Let us not forget around 200 laity from different parishes around Metro Manila also helped to serve the Holy Communion.
It was a very emotional experience for all Filipinos starting his arrival last Thursday. Rain or shine, nor the storm stopped the Pontiff flying to Leyte yesterday where thousands of people who were devastated with Typhoon Hayang waited for the Pope’s arrival vigilantly.
People from Visayas and Mindanao went to Leyte in order to get a glimpse of the Pope where he celebrated mass at Palo and had a closed door lunch with the locals.
Early this morning, the Pope went to the University of Santo Tomas to celebrate more than an hour of Liturgy and prayer, were special intentions and requests from the Pope’s enlightenment were voiced out by these young Catholics.
What is really astonishing is that as early as 1 am this morning, people already waited in line in order to get a designated seat at the Luneta Park.
20 years had passed since Pope John Paul II had His mass at the same venue during World Youth Day. It is hair raising, gives me goosebumps to see how people from all walks of life, from different parts of the Archipelago, North, East, West, South, young and old, all came to this concelebrated mass.
Thank you Pope Francis for bringing the light back into our Faith and giving us more inspiration than ever that there is always hope for change and there is truth in the light.
The observance of the Papal visit comes to an end tomorrow and the enduring God loving Filipinos were all law abiding and showed discipline.
