MANILA, Nov. 14, 2014– Pope Francis will bring his message of “mercy and compassion” to at least 11 different venues in the province of Leyte and Metro Manila during his Apostolic Visit to the Philippines on January 15 to 19, 2015.Pope Francis is expected to arrive in Manila from Sri Lanka, the first leg of his Asian trip, around 5 p.m. on January 15, and will go on a motorcade to his residence in Manila.The following morning, January 16, the pope will be officially welcomed by President Benigno Aquino III at Malacañan Palace on J. P. Laurel Street in Manila. It will be followed by a meeting with the members of the diplomatic corps.After the Palace reception, he will go on a motorcade to the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, also known as the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros, for a Mass with bishops, priests, and the religious. After the Mass, Pope Francis will also have an encounter with families at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay. On January 17, the pontiff will visit some areas devastated by Typhoon Yolanda in Leyte particularly Tacloban City and its adjacent town of Palo. Pope Francis will offer Mass upon his arrival at the Tacloban Airport and will later have lunch with the poor and survivors of recent natural calamities at the residence of the Archbishop of Palo. Among those who will be sharing lunch with the Pope are victims of the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that levelled several century-old churches in Bohol. He will also bless the Pope Francis Center for the Poor and visit the Cathedral of Our Lord’s Transfiguration, both in Palo, to meet with priests and the religious before going back to Manila on the same day. On January 18, the Pope have a brief meeting with the religious leaders and will meet young people at the Pontifical University of Santo Tomas in Manila. In the afternoon, he will go on a motorcade for the Concluding Mass at Quirino Grandstand in Rizal (Luneta) Park. Pope Francis will leave for Rome on January 19. (http://papalvisit.ph/popes-ph-visit-itinerary-released)
- 18 Nov
- 2014