Pope Francis on Sunday met the father of 27-year-old Kristel Mae Padasas, the woman who died from a freak accident in Tacloban Airport just after a Mass was held there by Pope Francis on Saturday.

 

According to the Instagram post of GMA reporter Aubrey Carampel, Pope Francis met Kristel's father Paulino Jr. on Sunday morning. The pontiff embraced him and gave him a rosary.

 

“He met Pope Francis today and the little white box he is holding is a rosary given by the Pope himself for Kristel,” Carampel said of her instagram photo of Paulino.

 

 

This is Paulino Padasas, Jr. He is the father of Kristel Mae Padasas, the lady who died in Tacloban. He met Pope Francis today and the little white box he is holding is a rosary given by the Pope himself for Kristel. Pope Francis hugged him tight and told him that he will pray for him, his wife and their daughter. "May kabuluhan ang pagkamatay ng anak ko" Mang Paulino told the Pope.
 

A photo posted by Aubrey Carampel-Aricheta (@aubreycarampel) on



Jan 17, 2015 at 11:17pm PST

 

“Pope Francis hugged him tight and told him that he will pray for him, his wife and their daughter,” Carampel added.

 

In response to the pontiff's gesture, Paulino reportedly said to Pope Francis: "May kabuluhan ang pagkamatay ng anak ko".

 

Earlier on Sunday, during his address to the youth at the University of Santo Tomas, Pope Francis led a moment of silence and a prayer for Kristel.

 

"I would like all of you, young people like her, to offer a moment in silence with me... then we pray to our Lady in heaven," Pope Francis told the crowd through an interpreter.

 

Paulino was in Manila to fetch his wife who was expected to arrive from Hong Kong. Kristel, was the only daughter of the Pasadas couple.

 

On Saturday, amid strong rains and winds brought by Typhoon Amang, a scaffolding of a speaker near the altar where Pope Francis held a mass collapsed and hit Kristel on the head.

 

Fr. Amadeo Alvero, Palo Archdiocese' Social Communications Director had earlier clarified that the scaffolding fell due to the strong wind and not because of the large crowd gathered for the event.

 

Leyte province and six other areas in the Visayas were placed under Storm Signal Number 2 early Saturday morning, hours before the Pope's arrival.

 

The incliment weather also prompted authorities to cut short Pope Francis' supposed whole day visit in the province.

 

Coming from Samar, Kristel, a volunteer for the Catholic Relief Services (CRS), was part the team who conducted preparations for Pope Francis' Mass in Tacloban Airport. —Elizabeth Marcelo/NB/JDS, GMA News