In Asia's Catholic heartland, Filipinos remember ‘compassionate' Pope who renewed their faith
MANILA: The death of Pope Francis has stirred an outpouring of grief across the Philippines, as many remember his compassionate leadership during one of the nation's darkest times.
The Argentine pontiff, leader of the Catholic Church since March 2013, died at his residence, Casa Santa Marta, in the Vatican on April 21. He was 88 years old.
In the Philippines, home to Asia's largest Catholic population, the pope is adoringly referred to as 'Lolo Kiko,' or Grandpa Kiko.
He left an indelible mark in the country after a historic four-day visit in January 2015, when he celebrated an open-air mass in Manila that drew more than 6 million devotees, making it the largest papal gathering in history.
But many among the Philippines' 85 million Catholics were deeply moved by his visit to Tacloban City in central Philippines during the same trip, braving heavy rain to conduct a mass in memory of the more than 6,000 people who perished in Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013.
'When he visited Manila and Tacloban, especially after the devastation of (the) typhoon, it deeply touched the hearts of so many. He didn't come as a distant leader, but as a father who wanted to personally console and strengthen us,' Alfredo Navarro III, a seminarian from the diocese of Balanga, told Arab News.
'Filipinos love Lolo Kiko so much because he has shown real concern for us. Not just in words, but in action. He has made it clear that he understands our struggles and is familiar with our culture.'
For Navarro, Pope Francis was a beacon of hope 'in a world where it sometimes feels like God is absent because of wars, conflicts and so many struggles.'
'Watching Pope Francis live out the Gospel in such a simple yet powerful way made me realize even more deeply that God is truly present, even in the most broken parts of our world. Through him, I felt God's love reaching out to me and to everyone,' he said.
'Because of Pope Francis, I feel a stronger calling to be a sign of that same love — to be more present to others, especially to those who are last, the least and the lost.'
World leaders and hundreds of thousands of people bade farewell to Pope Francis in a funeral at the Vatican on Saturday, where he was eulogized as a pope of the people.
Many young Filipinos took to social media to mourn his passing, honoring him as an inspiration and a figure who renewed their faith.
'I do not claim to be a model Catholic. I never was and I do not think I will ever be. But his words, his actions, the way he saw Christ in the last, the least and the lost was fuel to my faith. It was grace made real, alive and living,' Marion Bais Guerrero wrote on Facebook.
Filipino sociologist Athena Charanne Presto said on X that Pope Francis 'made being Catholic less morally suffocating, less burdened by contradiction.'
'This is heartbreaking news for the faithful and for those like me who only slowly found their way to faith because someone at the helm reminded us that the Church could also be a place to breathe.'
In Pope Francis, Raymond Zabala saw a leader who touched the lives of many, even those who are not Catholics.
'He respects all people regardless of their religion or status and in the same manner people from other religions respect him as well. I know of some friends who are non-practicing Catholics who are deeply saddened by his passing,' he told Arab News.
'His passing reminded us of the values of kindness and compassion.'
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