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Pope Francis arrives at UST to meet with religious leaders, youth
By DANESSA O. RIVERA, GMA News
(Updated 2:10 p.m.) Pope Francis has arrived at the University of Santo Tomas – the only Pontifical university in Asia – on Sunday morning to meet with religious leaders and some 24,000 representatives from the youth sector.
The pontiff arrived at around 9:24 a.m.
As soon as Pope Francis entered the campus, people started cheering and raising their gadgets to capture the once-in-a-lifetime moment of personally seeing the pope. Those standing behind jeered as those taking photos of the pontiff blocked their view.
Police and marshals had difficulty controlling the crowd, as some people occupied the plaza including the fountain area just to have a glimpse of the Pope.
The Pope boarded a Popemobile and went around the campus waving to the crowd and kissing and blessing children.
Thousands broke into rapturous cheer and waved Vatican City state flags.
The crowd cheered "Pope Francis, we love you!" as the Popemobile went around the campus.
Many of the people in the crowd have been at the campus before dawn Sunday to make sure they get good spots. Some were even there since Saturday afternoon.
The UST encounter is one of two main events on the papal schedule Sunday.
Gates were opened at 3 a.m. Sunday to welcome the Thomasian community and the Catholic faithful.
Meeting with youth, religious leaders
Pope Francis had a brief audience with ten leaders from other religions during his visit to the campus.
Youth representatives were chosen from several groups from across the country to have a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with the head of the 1.2 billion-Catholic Church.
The papal event at UST is open to the public, giving the Filipino faithful a chance to have a glimpse of the pope.
UST was given the title "pontifical" – of or related to the Pontiff–by Pope Leo XIII in September 1902, only the second university in the world granted the designation.
Forty-five years later, Pope Pius XII called it "the Catholic University of the Philippines."
Pope Francis is the third pontiff to visit in the university, following the visits of Blessed Paul VI in 1970, and Saint John Paul II, who went there twice, in 1981 and 1995.
After the event at UST, the Pope will be heading to the Quirino Grandstand to celebrate the concluding Mass, where 6 million people are expected to attend. — LBG/KG, GMA News
The pontiff arrived at around 9:24 a.m.
As soon as Pope Francis entered the campus, people started cheering and raising their gadgets to capture the once-in-a-lifetime moment of personally seeing the pope. Those standing behind jeered as those taking photos of the pontiff blocked their view.
Police and marshals had difficulty controlling the crowd, as some people occupied the plaza including the fountain area just to have a glimpse of the Pope.
The Pope boarded a Popemobile and went around the campus waving to the crowd and kissing and blessing children.
Thousands broke into rapturous cheer and waved Vatican City state flags.
The crowd cheered "Pope Francis, we love you!" as the Popemobile went around the campus.
Many of the people in the crowd have been at the campus before dawn Sunday to make sure they get good spots. Some were even there since Saturday afternoon.
The UST encounter is one of two main events on the papal schedule Sunday.
Gates were opened at 3 a.m. Sunday to welcome the Thomasian community and the Catholic faithful.
Meeting with youth, religious leaders
Pope Francis had a brief audience with ten leaders from other religions during his visit to the campus.
Youth representatives were chosen from several groups from across the country to have a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with the head of the 1.2 billion-Catholic Church.
Two street children recounted before Pope Francis their stories. The Pope gave them hugs and rosaries.
After he delivered a message during the Encounter with the Youth, Pope Francis was serenaded by the audience with the song "Tell the World of His Love," the theme song of the 1995 World Youth Day celebration at the Rizal Park.
The pontiff was seen holding hands with the children and swaying to the tune of the song.
The Pope also posed for selfies with some youths at the campus.
The papal event at UST is open to the public, giving the Filipino faithful a chance to have a glimpse of the pope.
UST was given the title "pontifical" – of or related to the Pontiff–by Pope Leo XIII in September 1902, only the second university in the world granted the designation.
Forty-five years later, Pope Pius XII called it "the Catholic University of the Philippines."
Pope Francis is the third pontiff to visit in the university, following the visits of Blessed Paul VI in 1970, and Saint John Paul II, who went there twice, in 1981 and 1995.
After the event at UST, the Pope will be heading to the Quirino Grandstand to celebrate the concluding Mass, where 6 million people are expected to attend. — LBG/KG, GMA News
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