MANILA, June 25 (PNA) — Pope Francis will be in the country on January 15 next year.
According to an article posted on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), quoting the Catholic News Agency (CNA), the Holy Father will come to the Philippines in January 2015 after conducting a two-day visit in Sri Lanka.
The pontiff will arrive in Sri Lanka on January 13.
The report added that Monsignor Nevin Perera told CNA that Pope Francis will leave for Manila on the morning of January 15.
However, no official word yet from the Vatican regarding the dates and itinerary of the Holy Father’s visit in the Philippines.
It was reported that the Pope will be visiting those affected by super typhoon Yolanda and 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit the nation last year.
Earlier, Palo Archbishop John Du said typhoon survivors are waiting for the pope’s visit, adding that it would boost the morale of the people affected by the storm especially those who are still struggling to rebuild their lives.
“The pope’s visit is another big blessing. We are happy for the blessing that come to us– the pope is coming, the people’s solidarity and the overwhelming generosity of the people,” he said.
Prior to his scheduled trip in 2015, Pope Francis will be in Korea from August 14 to August 18 for the 6th Asian Youth Day in the diocese of Daejeon. It would be his first visit in the Asian continent.
The Vatican considers Asia as a continent of growth for Catholicism. In 2012, Vatican’s data revealed that Catholicism in Asia is growing faster than in any other region of the world. (PNA)