Nation prays for ‘Lolo Kiko’
Millions flocked to churches across the country on Tuesday for services held in memory of Pope Francis, an act of collective mourning in a Catholic nation touched by his propoor ministry, reviving memories of his visit a decade ago when Filipinos reeled from a major calamity.
At the Manila Cathedral, muffled sobs could be heard as the faithful prayed for the late pontiff, his portrait mounted and surrounded by flowers and candles inside one of the chapels.
Cardinal Jose Advincula of the Manila Archdiocese presided over a Mass offered for the eternal rest of ”Lolo Kiko (Granpa Kiko)” as the Pope was fondly called during his Philippine visit in January 2015, two months after the killer typhoon ”Yolanda.”
At the San Roque Cathedral Parish in Caloocan City, Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, also addressed the flock in a Mass for the Pope.
Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, died on Monday after suffering a stroke and cardiac arrest, the Vatican said, ending an often turbulent reign in which he sought to overhaul an ancient and divided institution.
In their homilies, Advincula and David recalled how their encounters with the Pope strengthened their faith and conviction that the Church should be close to the poor and “a welcoming home for the forgotten.”
‘A true father to us’
“Throughout his pontificate, our Lolo Kiko was a true father to us and has continued to show his love for the Philippines—not only through words, but through actions,” Advincula said.
“He appointed many of our shepherds—including three cardinals and many bishops—who share his heart for service, simplicity, and dialogue,” he said.
He described the papal visit as a “moment of grace forever etched in our national memory.”
“His presence, prayers, and preaching have confirmed us in faith, enlivened our hope, and animated us to charity. And indeed, we fondly recall his special love for Filipinos all over the world,” Advincula said.
‘More reason to be worried’
David said tears of sorrow may have to be shed even in the days following the joyful occasion of Easter. For after all, he said, Pope Francis once remarked that “we can only see more clearly through eyes washed by tears.”
For David, who is also known for his staunch criticism of the so-called drug war waged by the Duterte administration and a comforting figure for the families who lost loved ones in the brutal crackdown, the late pope’s call for compassion has become more relevant than ever.
“We have more reason to be worried when people just do not weep anymore. When people just couldn’t care less, that is something worse to worry about. When people say, ‘I will not waste my tears on that,’ when we see signs that our humanity has been taken away from us,” he said.
According to David, Pope Francis challenged the Catholic faithful “to rediscover the Church not as a fortress, but as a field hospital—welcoming, healing, and journeying together.”
The pope’s passing stirred deep sorrow among Catholics around the world, many of whom saw him as a humble and compassionate leader.
Special connection
In the Philippines, one of the world’s largest Catholic strongholds, the grief was palpable. Home to more than 80 million Catholics, the country has long had a special connection with Francis.
His Mass at the capital during his 2015 visit drew a record crowd of up to seven million people. In his homily, Francis urged Filipinos to shun “social structures which perpetuate poverty, ignorance and corruption”.
Francis’ journey included a visit to Tacloban, where he met with survivors of Yolanda (international name: Haiyan), the deadliest storm in Philippine history.
In March 2021, the Pope marked the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines through a Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, where he called on the Filipinos to continue spreading the word of God.
“I have often said that here in Rome Filipino women are ‘smugglers’ of faith,” he then said, adding that wherever Filipino women go to work, “they sow the faith.”
“It is part of your genes, a blessed ‘infectiousness’ that I urge you to preserve,” he added, as he urged them to keep bringing the faith to others.
Eyes on Tagle
As the Church prepares for a new conclave, attention has turned to what could be a historic shift – one of the possible candidates to succeed Pope Francis is Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle.
Tagle, 67, is often called the “Asian Francis” because of his similar commitment to social justice and if elected he would be the first pontiff from Asia, where only the Philippines and East Timor have majority Catholic populations.
On paper, Tagle, who generally prefers to be called by his nickname “Chito”, seems to have all the boxes ticked to qualify him to be a pope.
He has had decades of pastoral experience since his ordination to the priesthood in 1982. He then gained administrative experience, first as bishop of Imus and then as archbishop of Manila. —WITH A REPORT FROM REUTERS
