PHILIPPINES: Children join parade of "little Popes" in honour of John Paul's canonization

Record ID: 450876

  • Title: PHILIPPINES: Children join parade of "little Popes" in honour of John Paul's canonization
  • Date: 27th April 2014
  • Summary: MANILA, PHILIPPINES (APRIL 27, 2014) (REUTERS) POPE MOBILE ON DISPLAY CHILDREN DRESSED AS POPES INSIDE POPE MOBILE MUSICIANS PLAYING INSTRUMENTS DURING PARADE MARCHERS CARRYING VARIOUS FLAGS POPE MOBILE MOVING ON STREET BOYS IN POPE COSTUMES WAVING FROM POPE MOBILE PARADE PARTICIPANTS MARCHING BOYS IN SWISS GUARD UNIFORMS MARCHING DURING PARADE POPE MOBILE WITH CHILDREN INSIDE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ASSISTANT PARISH PRIEST VICTOR ESPARLAY SAYING: "Many Filipinos have seen him alive and now even after his death, and now we know that he is in heaven , more devotees, deeper devotion to saint John Paul II." CHILDREN IN POPE COSTUMES GETTING OFF POPE MOBILE CROWD WATCHING VARIOUS OF BOYS IN POPE COSTUMES WAVING HANDS DURING PARADE
  • Embargoed: 12th May 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Philippines
  • Country: Philippines
  • Topics: Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVACIVP9999HEVA3C00CZUS5SIZI
  • Story Text: Dozens of children joined a parade of little Popes at a mall in Manila on Sunday (April 27), as part of a celebration for Pope John Paul's ascent into sainthood.
    On Sunday, Pope Francis will declare as saints John Paul II, the revered Pope who led the Church for almost 27 years before his death in 2005 and John XXIII, the Italian pontiff who launched the modernising Second Vatican Council in 1962.
    Several boys donned white robes and miters imitating the Pope's attire as they boarded the Popemobile used by John Paul II during his 1995 World youth Day visit in the Philippines.
    A battalion of "Swiss Guard" children accompanied the little popes and made their way around the mall grounds while waving at the crowd.
    The parade was organized in honour of John Paul's canonization, which many Catholic Filipinos have been anticipating.

    "Many Filipinos have seen him alive and now even after his death, and now we know that he is in heaven, more devotees, deeper devotion to saint John Paul II," said Assistant Parish Priest Victor Esparlay.
    John Paul II was loved by many Filipinos in the predominantly Catholic nation, with devotees hanging images of him inside their homes along with other religious icons.
    During his term as a Pope, John Paul has visited the Philippines twice, with the first one celebrating a mass in 1981 and the World Youth day celebration in 1995, drawing millions of devotees to him.
    Over 80 percent of the 97-million population practices the Catholic religion and the Philippines is the only Asian country with predominantly Catholic beliefs.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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