The country’s leaders joined its estimated 86 million Roman Catholics in mourning the passing of Pope Francis, still fondly remembered for his visit to survivors of super typhoon Yolanda in Leyte province.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), meanwhile, called on all churches in the nation’s 3,656 parishes to ring their bells in remembrance of Saint Peter’s 265th successor.
In a Facebook post yesterday afternoon, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said Filipinos are one with the Catholic community worldwide in grieving the Pontiff’s loss, calling it “a profoundly sad day.”
“A man of profound faith and humility, Pope Francis led not only with wisdom but with a heart open to all, especially the poor and the forgotten,” the chief executive wrote.
“By example, Pope Francis taught us that to be a good Christian is to extend kindness and care to one another. His humility brought many back to the fold of the Church. As we mourn his passing, we honor a life that brought hope and compassion to so many, and inspired us to love one another as Christ loved us,” Mr. Marcos added.
For his part, Senate President Francis Escudero called Pope Francis “a true shepherd of Christ’s flock,” saying the pontiff stood out for his efforts to foster peace and inclusion, which “reshaped the Church’s role in promoting unity across religious and cultural divides.”
The Senate chief praised the Pope’s lifelong dedication to the poor and marginalized, pointing out how he brought their voices to the forefront of the Church.
“His words of ‘mercy and compassion’ continue to guide the Filipino people in building a society rooted in empathy and understanding,” said Escudero.
In a statement, House Speaker Martin Romualdez said, “It is with a heavy heart that I join the world in mourning the passing of Pope Francis, whom we in Leyte—and across the Philippines—lovingly called Lolo Kiko.”
“To us, he was more than a Pope. He was a father, a friend, a guiding light in times of darkness. I will never forget how he came to Tacloban in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda, when our people were suffering beyond words,” he added.
“He braved the storm, stood with us in the rain, and spoke not just as a leader of the Church, but as someone who truly felt our pain. His presence alone gave us strength. His words reminded us that even in loss, we were not alone. That God had not abandoned us,” Romualdez recalled.
Pope Francis traveled to Tacloban and Palo in Leyte to meet with survivors of Super Typhoon Yolanda during his visit to the Philippines in 2015, an encounter that the Senate chief found most memorable.
It was during this occasion that the Pontiff urged all Filipinos to take care of the most vulnerable among them.
Meanwhile, CBCP President Archbishop Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David explained that the ringing of church bells is a gesture by which the faithful can honor the legacy and contributions of Pope Francis to the Catholic Church and the world.
“Please ring the bells of our churches and call our people to pray for the eternal repose of the Holy Father Pope Francis,” David said in a social media post of the Diocese of Kalookan.
“It is with profound grief that we received the news that our beloved Holy Father Pope, our dear Lolo Kiko, has passed from this world to return to the house of the Father. Together with our universal Church and all persons of goodwill, mourn his death,” Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula said in a statement.
“We will always remember his visit to our country in 2015 – a moment of grace forever etched in our national memory. Under the rain in Tacloban, standing with the survivors of Typhoon Yolanda, Pope Francis showed us what it means to suffer with others and find hope in the midst of pain,” he added.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Marcos, Filipinos pay tribute to beloved Pope Francis.”