MANILA, Philippines – The Catholic Church celebrates on Tuesday, October 22, the feast of Pope Saint John Paul II, one of the popes best remembered by Filipinos.
The feast commemorates the start of his papacy on October 22, 1978 — a pontificate that would last for nearly 27 years.
John Paul II visited the Philippines twice as pontiff: first in 1981, for the beatification of Lorenzo Ruiz, who would later become the first Filipino saint; then in 1995, for the 10th World Youth Day, which brought together around five million Catholics from around the world.
Here are photos once shared with Rappler by the late Manuel “Noli” Yamsuan Jr., a well-respected Catholic photographer, who died in 2016. The photo collection became part of Rappler’s feature articles on previous papal visits, as part of Pope Francis’ trip to the Philippines in 2015.
John Paul II, as he himself repeatedly said, loved the Philippines as much as Filipinos loved him.
“For a long time I have looked forward to stepping on to Philippine soil once more,” he said upon arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in 1995. “The Filipino people are never far from my mind and heart, and I reach out to embrace each one with esteem and affection. We are indeed old friends.”
At the University of Santo Tomas, in the same year, John Paul II said: “May God bless you all, bless the youth of the Filipino people and all the Filipino country. I see that it was my great privilege to be here and to discover anew this phenomenon I knew before…. and this phenomenon is called Filipino people.”
Do you have memories of John Paul II’s trips to the Philippines in 1981 and 1995? Share your personal photos in the faith chat room of the Rappler Communities app. – Paterno R. Esmaquel II/Rappler.com