One of the Philippines most important visitor this year, Pope Francis arrived and was welcomed by hundreds of thousands of Filipinos as he begins his five-day trip to the passionate and chaotic heartland, considered as the bastion of Roman Catholics in Asia, the Philippines. Pope Francis arrived at the Villamor Airbase on Thursday, at around 5:45 PM.
Watch the Arrival Video of Pope Francis:
Pope Francis visit to the Philippines is tipped to attract a world-record papal crowd as more than 80% of the 100 million Filipinos anticipates the arrival of the supreme pontiff, the leader of the billion-strong Roman Catholic church. The Pope arrived in the country after a successful trip from Sri Lanka.
During the arrival of Pope Francis, all church bells across the country were tolled, as the charismatic pontiff was welcomed by no less than President Aquino and selected Roman Catholic church leaders at the Villamor Airbase.
The Roman Catholic head, Pope Francis smiled as he looked out the window of his plane upon touchdown, and witness hundreds of children brought to greet him who also chanted on the tarmac: “Welcome Pope Francis.”
According to Pope Francis earlier statement before his two-nation state-visit, his tour to Sri Lanka and the Philippines is aimed at adding momentum to already impressive growth of the Church in Asia, with its support from the Filipino people who are considered as benchmark for the rest of the region.
Francis has said his two-nation tour is aimed at adding momentum to already impressive growth for the Church in Asia, with its support in the Philippines the benchmark for the rest of the region.
The organizer of the 5-day Papa visit to the country noted that that high-point of Pope Francis trip is the open-air mass on Sunday at the Quirino Grandstand as they expect a papal gathering of up to six million people despite a forecast of rain and security concerns. The crowd could also eclipsed the Papal record gathering in the country during Pope John Paul II visit in 1995 which drew five million people.
For the complete Itineraries of Pope Francis visit click here.
