‘Rock star’ Pope fills concert venue to meet PHL families

Crowds outside the SM MOA Arena in Pasay are able to watch the Pope's meeting with families inside on large screens on Friday, January 16. Mark Merueñas

(Updated 7:14 p.m.) Pope Francis on Friday proved he is indeed a "rock star" as he filled a venue usually reserved for high-profile concerts.

The very popular pontiff has been called "the rock star pope" for his surprisingly and unusually "cool" demeanor, evidenced by his fondess for veering from Church protocol. He even appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

And at the Mall of Asia Arena, just like at a typical concert, the pontiff had his own meet-and-greet—not with "fans," but with 17,000 Filipinos belonging to families from all over the country who were handpicked by the Churchto attend the event.

Some 12,000 others, meanwhile, were given tickets to stay outside arena, sitting on monobloc chairs and watching the events inside from a big screen.

The Pope, on the second day of a five-day visit to the biggest Catholic country in Asia, arrived at the grounds to cheering crowds armed with banners and cameraphones.

Pope Francis came from the Apostolic Nunciature in Manila, where he rested after visiting Malacañang and officiating a Mass before hundreds of cardinals, bishops, priests and nuns at Manila Cathedral earlier in the day.

The head of the world's smallest state since his election as Pope in 2013 arrived in Manila on Thursday after a three-day papal visit to Colombo where he canonized Sri Lanka's first saint, Joseph Vaz.

The arena is right beside one of Asia's biggest shopping malls and was the venue for the concerts of global superstars like Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey and Bruno Mars, as well as Kapuso star Regine Velasquez.

Security

Chief Inspector Danilo Quidip, team leader at the Police Assistance Desk 13 just outside the arena, told GMA News Online that people who entered MOA grounds via EDSA Extension were thoroughly frisked, saying that firearms are prohibited in the area.

"Sana iyong kooperasyon nila kung ano sinasabi ng authority sana sundin nila para hindi sila mapahamak kasi gina-guide namin sila sa tama," Quidip said.

The police official said the portion of EDSA Extension supposedly reserved as an "emergency exit" for the papal convoy was unfortunately occupied by spectators.

"Itong iba kasi ayaw sumunod. Pumunta sila doon sa hindi dapat kalagyan kaya napuno ng tao," he said.

Quidip said policemen lined up along EDSA Extension were given instructions to keep their eyes on the crowd, with their backs turned to the path of the papal convoy.

Though strongly discouraged, spectators were still seen brandishing umbrellas and monopods. Instead, a Church volunteer, bellowing through a megaphone, appealed to the people not to open the umbrellas when Pope Francis passes by.

Two large screens set up along EDSA Extension allowed spectators on the streets to get a glimpse of the program inside the arena. — BM/JST, GMA News