Pope Francis Arrives In Philippines On Asia Tour

Pope Francis has arrived in the Philippines for a five-day visit to
the nation's 80 million Roman Catholics.

He was met at Manila airport by President Benigno Aquino while church
bells tolled nationwide to welcome him.

The highlight of the Pope's visit will be a huge open air Mass in
Manila on Sunday and a visit to Tacloban to meet survivors of a
devastating typhoon in November 2013.

Security will be tight after failed attempts to kill two previous Popes.

Tens of thousands of soldiers and police have been deployed.

Pope Francis, the fourth pontiff to visit the Philippines, travelled
from Sri Lanka, where he called for unity in the conflict-hit nation
and canonised its first saint.

Most of the Philippine population is Roman Catholic

Eighty percent of the Philippines' 100 million people are Catholic.
Huge crowds are expected at each stage of the visit - hundreds of
thousands of people are lining his route from the airport.

A three-day public holiday has been declared in the capital to clear
the traffic.

"Every step he makes, every car ride he takes, every moment he stays
with us is precious for us," said Archbishop Socrates Villegas,
president of Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines. "Seeing
him pass by is a grace."

Pope Francis's Philippines schedule

*.Thursday - arrives in Manila

*.Friday - meets President Benigno Aquino and celebrates Mass in
Manila Cathedral

*.Saturday - heads to Tacloban, to celebrate Mass and have lunch with
survivors of Typhoon Haiyan. Returns to Manila that evening.

*.Sunday - morning meeting with representatives of various religions
and with young people, before celebrating Mass for up to six million
people in Rizal Park

Dancing inmates and Jeepney "Popemobile" ready for Francis

Pope Francis will spend one day in Tacloban, where more than 6,000
people were killed by Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. The area is still
rebuilding from the massive storm.

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Archbishop of Manila, said he expected
the Pope to deliver a message on climate change - to which some
experts have partly attributed the storm.

Asked whether the Pope would address issues such as inequality,
reproductive rights and divorce, he said: "His ministry is not to
invent new teachings but he is quite sensitive - he wants to bridge
the teachings of the Church with the new realities that we are
facing."
--BBC