(An estimated 100,000 people across all ages and walks of life crowded the sprawling Tacloban City Airport apron on January 17, 2015 as they endured the hour-long Mass officiated by Pope Francis even as the rains kept pounding and the winds howling brought by Tropical Storm Amang. File Photo: PIA Eastern Visayas)
“He had a sense of humor that could light up a room—even in the rain,” recalled Rev. Fr. Chris Arthur Militante, spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Palo, reflecting on a lighthearted moment with Pope Francis during his 2015 visit to Leyte.
(Pope Francis arrives in Tacloban City on January 17, 2015 – PIA-8 File photo)
As the Pope walked through the Archbishop’s Residence in Palo, soaked from the storm after celebrating Mass for Typhoon Yolanda survivors, he was welcomed by Palo Archbishop John F. Du.
The Archbishop led him to a hallway where portraits of past and present archbishops are hung.
“Archbishop Du explained the portraits, pointing to the deceased on one side and the living, including himself, on the other,” Fr. Militante said.
“The Pope looked at the last one—Archbishop Du’s—and with a playful smile asked, ‘Is this one also dead?’ Everyone broke into laughter. It was such a human moment, so natural, so Francis,” Fr. Militante added.
Though known globally as a spiritual leader and reformer, Pope Francis’s visit to Eastern Visayas showed a different facet of the pontiff —one that brought comfort not only through words and doctrine, but through presence, warmth, and a contagious smile.
The visit in January 2015 came less than two years after Super Typhoon Yolanda devastated the region. For many, the Pope’s decision to continue the trip despite worsening weather reflected his solidarity with the suffering.
He celebrated Mass at the Tacloban Airport under heavy rain and wind, standing firm amid the storm. He later said he simply wanted “to be with you.”
Fr. Militante remembered how Pope Francis, drenched from the outdoor Mass, refused to change before joining Yolanda survivors for a simple lunch and conversation.
“He stayed with us for about 30 minutes, listening, comforting, encouraging. He gave us time—not just a schedule. And for people still healing, that meant everything,” he said.
Pope Francis’s brief visit sparked long-term change. Inspired by his compassion, local and international partners built the Pope Francis Village in Tacloban, offering permanent housing to displaced families.
The Pope Francis Center, a project of the Korean Apostolate, was also established to provide trauma healing and vocational training.
Through the Vatican’s support, several churches destroyed by the typhoon were restored—symbols of a faith rebuilt alongside communities.
“His leadership wasn’t just about words—it was about mercy in action,” said Fr. Militante.
“He showed us that the Church stands with the people, especially the poor and suffering,” he added.
On April 21, 2025, Pope Francis passed away peacefully at the Vatican at the age of 88 after a period of declining health. The Catholic Church has called for a period of mourning and deep prayer, encouraging the faithful to offer Masses and prayers for the eternal repose of the Holy Father.
Grief runs deep.
“He brought us hope when we had nothing left. He made us feel that even in tragedy, God had not abandoned us,” Fr. Militante said.
“His visit helped us stand up again—not just physically, but spiritually,” he added.
As the world reflects on the legacy of Pope Francis, the people of Eastern Visayas hold close the memory of a man who laughed with them, prayed with them, and gave them reason to believe in healing and renewal. (RLA/PIA Eastern Visayas)
