After condoling with Yolanda survivors, Pope starts motorcade to Palo, Leyte

Published January 17, 2015 11:02am

(Updated 11:48 a.m.) After condoling with survivors of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) during a Mass in Tacloban City, Pope Francis started his motorcade to Palo town on Saturday morning.

Pope Francis was smiling as he boarded his Popemobile and waved to residents.

Video feeds from GMA-7 showed the Pope wearing a raincoat, and the open rear part of his Kia Popemobile sporting a windshield.

He had the motorcade stop to bless a baby in the crowd even as crowds continued to cheer him on.

Earlier, the Pope led a Mass at the apron of Tacloban Airport, with readings from Scriptures, Mass songs, and prayers in English, Latin, Filipino, Binisaya, Cebuano, Hiligaynon languages.

In his homily, he condoled with survivors of Yolanda, which devastated the Visayas on Nov. 8, 2013, and left behind more than 6,300 dead.

"Jesus understands because he also underwent all the trials you have also underwent," the Pope said in Spanish. "Jesus never lets you down."

The Pope is on his way to the Palo Archbishop's residence where he will have lunch with survivors of Yolanda and the October 2013 Bohol quake.

The private lunch will be with 30 select survivors, of which 15 are from Leyte, and five each from Eastern Samar, Calbayog, and Tagbilaran.

The October 2013 earthquake, with a magnitude 7.2 earthquake, left 222 dead and many historical churches destroyed.

After lunch, the Catholic leader will also bless the Pope Francis Center for the Poor, which is just beside the Archbishop's Residence, and will interact with orphans, elderly, and some people with disabilities.

Before flying back to Manila, the Pope will offer a prayer and light a candle at the mass grave at the back of the cathedral. —Joel Locsin and Danessa O. Rivera/KG, GMA News

Tags: popefrancis, popefrancisphlvisit, palo