Pope Francis, right, exchanges gifts with Dragan Covic, Croatian member of the Bosnian Tripartite Presidency, during a private audience at the Vatican.
(AP Photo)
MANILA—The vehicles which Pope Francis will use during his apostolic visit to the Philippines next month are not bulletproof and will make him “vulnerable, open and accessible.”
Pope Francis is also expected to pray over the mass grave of people who died during the passage of supertyphoon Yolanda in Palo, Leyte.
In a media briefing yesterday, Fr. David Concepcion, executive secretary of the committee on transportation for the papal visit, said the Holy Father will use two popemobiles to travel around Manila and Tacloban City during his visit from Jan. 15 to 19.
According to Concepcion, the popemobiles will not be enclosed, not bullet-proofed and will not be airconditioned, making Pope Francis not only visible to the public but also exposed to the elements.
He said the authorities acknowldged that the vehicles’ design would pose a “security nightmare,” but the Pope himself requested the popemobiles’ features to highlight the Church’s relationship with the Catholic faithful and a symbol of his compassion toward the people.
Church listens
“The Pope will be vulnerable during his visit. This also represents that vulnerability of the Church,” Concepcion said.
He declined to identify the maker of the vehicles, who he said asked not to be named.
The popemobile also represents the Church’s solidarity with the people as the Holy Father “will feel the heat that the crowds will feel.
If it rains, he will also get wet.”
“He wants to get as close as possible to the people; he wants to interact with them. The popemobile’s design would allow the Pope to hear the people’s cheers and shoutouts during motorcades. This also shows that the Church listens,” Concepcion said.
“The popemobile also reflects the Church’s accessibility. He wants to be easily accesible to the people. The vehicles’ design will make it easier for the Pope to physically reach out to the people,” he added.
Msgr. Bernie Pantin, Palo Cathedral parish priest, said the Holy Father will go to the Palo Cathedral mass grave to pray in private after meeting with the priests, religious, and laity who survived Yolanda.
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