PHILIPPINES: SPECIAL PRAYERS SAID FOR POPE JOHN PAUL II AS FILIPINOS CELEBRATE EASTER

Record ID: 647373

  • Title: PHILIPPINES: SPECIAL PRAYERS SAID FOR POPE JOHN PAUL II AS FILIPINOS CELEBRATE EASTER
  • Date: 27th March 2005
  • Summary: (W1)MANILA, PHILIPPINES (MARCH 27, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. MV/CU: EXTERIOR OF SAN FELIPE NERI CHURCH (2 SHOTS) 0.11 2. WIDESHOT OF MASS 0.23 3. WIDESHOT OF ALTAR 0.28 4. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE PRAYING (4 SHOTS) 0.53 5. PRIEST OFFICIATING MASS 1.00 6. (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) ANNIE AMBROSIO SAYING: "It's okay because he is sick that is why he can't give an Easter message. But as a Christian, there should be no difference." 1.12 7. PEOPLE COMING OUT OF CHURCH 1.18 8. (SOUNDBITE) (Filiipino) REBECCA CRUZ SAYING: "The celebration of Easter goes on even without the pope's message, because Christ is the essence of our celebration. So for me, this is just okay. But we should still pray for the pope and support the church's programs." 1.35 9. (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) TOLENTINO LOGARES SAYING: "We are saddened, as Catholics, we will pray for him and we hope he lives longer." 1.45 10. PEOPLE WALKING OUT OF CHURCH 1.52 11. (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) REVEREND FATHER CIRILO EDGARI BONIA SAYING: "Let us continue to pray for the pope, he needs our prayers for his recovery and blessings from the Lord." 2.03 12. WIDESHOT OF PEOPLE PRAYING 2.10 13. SCU: EXTERIOR OF CHURCH STEEPLE 2.14 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 11th April 2005 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MANILA,PHILIPPINES
  • Country: Philippines
  • Reuters ID: LVA1RTJM2W7JV00MJI2JQB9QRJQN
  • Story Text: Special prayers said for the Pope as the Philippines
    celebrates Easter.


    Filipinos flocked to Catholic churches all over the
    Philippines to celebrate the risen Jesus Christ on Easter
    Sunday (March 27).

    But as Filipinos celebrated, many priests paused during
    masses to offer prayers for the ailing Pope John Paul II.

    With the fast-declining Pope absent from Holy Week
    ceremonies for the first time in his 26-year reign, this
    Easter is being billed in the Vatican as not only the
    Passion of Christ, but also the Passion of John Paul II.

    The Pope, 84, has always presided over Holy Week
    ceremonies, which culminate on Easter Day. But this year
    for the first time the "suffering Pope", gaunt after an
    emergency throat operation last month, has handed key
    events to his top cardinals.

    "It's okay because he is sick that is why he can't give
    an Easter message. But as a Christian, there should be no
    difference," says Annie Ambrosio, who went to the San
    Felipe church in Manila at six in the morning to
    attend the Easter mass.

    Another devotee, Rebecca Cruz said Easter is a time to
    rejoice, even without the pope's physical presence.

    "The celebration of Easter goes on even without the
    pope's message, because Christ is the essence of our
    celebration. So for me, this is just okay. But we should
    still pray for the pope and support the church's programs."
    The Pope visited the Philippines twice, in February 1981
    and January 1995. He was elected the 264th Pope on October
    16, 1978.

    "We are saddened, as Catholics, we will pray for him
    and we hope he lives longer," said Tolentino Logares, who
    joined the 5 million Filipinos who welcomed and cheered on
    the Pope during his last visit in the Philippines in 1995.

    The Catholic Church on Friday called on the faithful to
    pray for the Pope's swift recovery. The retired Manila
    archbishop, Jaime Cardinal Sin, himself frail and sickly,
    aired the appeal.
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