Pope arrives in Philippines on 2nd stage of Asian trip

January 15, 2015

Pope Francis arrived in Manila on Thursday afternoon, January 15, on the 2nd stage of his trip to Asia.

The Pope left Colombo, Sri Lanka, early in the morning. After brief stops at the Benedict XVI Cultural Institute and the shrine of Our Lady of Lanka, he proceeded to the airport, where President Maithripala Sirisena headed a delegation of government officials at a farewell ceremony.

After a flight of over six hours, the papal plane arrived at an air base outside Manila. President Benigno Aquino of the Philippines was on hand to greet the Pontiff. The Pope traveled in an open car into Manila, waving to thousands of people who lined the roads to greet him.

A spokesman said that Pope Francis had recovered from the exhaustion that he felt when he first arrived in Sri Lanka. After a restful evening he will embark on a busy schedule, highlighted by a meeting with survivors of the typhoon Yolanda and an outdoor Mass in an urban park in Manila.

Following his visit to Sri Lanka, where Christians form a minority in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society, the Pope will now be addressing a society thoroughly dominated by Catholic influence. He will remain in the Philippines until Monday, January 19, when he returns to Rome.

 

---

For all current news, visit our News home page.

---

 
Further information:

• Pope Francis arrives in Manila (VIS)
• Pope: in the Philippines, the Catholic heart of Asia (AsiaNews)
• Pope Francis arrives in Philippines on Asia tour (BBC)