After Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle officially announced the schedule of the pontiff’s visit in a press briefing last month at the Arzobispado de Manila in Intramuros, religious groups, individuals and government officials have started planning and preparing for Pope Francis’ arrival.
To ensure the smooth and safe stay of the Pope in the Philippines, President Benigno Aquino III immediately called for a meeting with all the government agencies. He assigned Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. as the point person for the Pope’s visit from January 15-19 of 2015.
Presidential Communications Operations Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said that next year’s papal visit will mark the 20th anniversary of the World Youth Day in the country in 1995, “The government joins the Filipino people in welcoming the Vatican’s announcement confirming that His Holiness Pope Francis will make an apostolic visit to the Philippines,” he said.
“Pope Francis’ visit marks the 20th anniversary of the celebration of World Youth Day Manila that was presided over by now St. John Paul II. Filipinos will most certainly afford to Pope Francis the warmth of their hospitality and manifest the fervor of their faith as they welcome the first pontiff from South America,” he continued.
Pope Francis’ 5-day itinerary includes visiting the Presidential palace and Manila Cathedral; flying to Leyte and Tacloban to meet Yolanda-hit survivors; a mass at the University of Santo Tomas and meeting the families who will be waiting at SM Mall of Asia. On the 19th of January, he will leave in the morning to fly back to Rome.
