Catholic Philippines hails new saints


MANILA, April 27, 2014 (AFP) - Tens of thousands of Catholics attended special masses across Manila on Sunday to celebrate Pope Francis' proclamation of two new saints including John Paul II, a beloved figure in Asia's bastion of the faith.

Archbishop of Manila Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle led the service at the packed 16,500-seat Araneta Coliseum in the Philippine capital as huge screens beamed live images from the Vatican of the canonisation of John Paul II and John XXIII.

Many of the devotees were tearful, recalling personal stories of how seeing John Paul II during his visits to the Southeast Asian nation in 1981 and 1995 had changed their lives.

"We're so touched and blessed to have witnessed this great pope who was a part of my youth, and my religious journey," said Mila Estrada, 46, who was among millions of students who gathered to see John Paul II when Manila hosted World Youth Day in 1995.

"He was the pope we grew up with, and whose teachings directly touched our lives," said Estrada.

For photographer Ernie Sarmiento, seeing John Paul II for the first time in 1981 as a student was a "mesmerising" event that cemented his future career path.

He had been assigned by the school paper to cover the pontiff's visit to the University of Santo Tomas, Asia's oldest and largest Catholic school.

Sarmiento remembers fumbling with his equipment as the pope started walking in his direction, regaining composure just in time to capture an image of the pope tightly embracing a student.

"I now have a straight line" to God, Sarmiento said of the new saint.

The student in the photograph, Henry Tenedero, said he had been chosen to deliver a message to John Paul II by the Manila archdiocese but military generals under then dictator Ferdinand Marcos had tried to prevent him from approaching the pope.

"I was strictly advised by the generals to go back to my chair after my speech," Tenedero said. "I saw the Pope smiling, as if to say, 'come here', so I did, and then (I got) the big hug."

Five years later, Marcos' 20-year regime crumbled following a "people power" revolution backed by local Catholic church leaders.

More than 80 percent of the Philippines' 100 million population are Catholics, and the Church remains a major influence on daily life.

However ordinary Filipinos know little about John XXIII, according to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, one of the organisers of an upcoming display to spread awareness about the pope.

The relics of John XXIII, including a piece of his funeral cassock, will be on display in Manila in May as part of the celebrations.

Get 30% off with our ads free Premium Plan!

Monthly Plan

RM13.90/month
RM9.73 only

Billed as RM9.73 for the 1st month then RM13.90 thereafters.

Annual Plan

RM12.33/month
RM8.63/month

Billed as RM103.60 for the 1st year then RM148 thereafters.

1 month

Free Trial

For new subscribers only


Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
   

Next In Regional

Acting legend Tony Leung, Nvidia chief Huang get honorary doctorates from HK uni
India reports 'good progress' in Asean-India trade pact review talks
KL in 50th spot as London crowned world's best city for 10th consecutive year
Malaysia commends Laos for successful Asean 2024 chairmanship
Supply chain snags: Airlines in Malaysia, Thailand among those affected as travel demand rebounds
41 passengers injured as Hong Kong ferry bumps into pier on Central’s waterfront
DPM Zahid emphasises shared goals in meeting with Philippines President Marcos
Malaysia’s strategies as Asean chair in 2025 focus on regional value chains, says Anwar
Asean Foreign Ministers' meeting kicks off in Laos ahead of 44th and 45th Asean Summits
Asean must remain neutral to boost regional investment, says Tengku Zafrul

Others Also Read