Cardinal Tagle to lead tribute to John Paul II at the Big Dome

MANILA, Philippines - April 27, Divine Mercy Sunday, will truly be a day of great rejoicing for the Filipino faithful.

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle will lead Filipno Catholics in a special tribute to two great popes, John XXIII and John Paul II, that will be canonized on the same day. Thousands are expected to troop to the event titled Shepherds, Servants and Saints that will be mounted at the Smart Araneta Coliseum featuring a live feed of the canonization rites at the Vatican and a Mass by Cardinal Tagle.

Jointly organized by the Araneta Center, Jesuit Communications and the Archdiocese of Manila, the event is a sequel to the highly successful Blessed liturgical concert staged in October 2011 to celebrate Pope John Paul II’s beatification. Two years later, the prayers of Santo Subito seemed to have been heard by the heavens as the beloved pontiff along with another great pope, John XXIII, will be declared saint on April 27.

Pope John Paul II was known as the traveling pope, having made more than 100 foreign trips outside Italy, more than all previous popes combined. Pope John Paul II visited Manila on two occasions, the first in 1981 when he beatified several martyrs including St. Lorenzo Ruiz, the Philippines’ first saint. The second visit was in 1995 during the World Youth Day. Records show that the attendance in the Philippine celebration at the Rizal Park far exceeded other World Youth Day celebrations in other countries.

In 1981, Pope John Paul II paid a pastoral visit at the Araneta Coliseum and addressed businessmen and catechists, even declaring the venue as the “colosseo of papal audiences”. In October 2011, Cubao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco installed a marker at the coliseum formalizing the title attributed to the coliseum by Pope John Paul II.

Executive Secretary of World Youth Day 1995, Jo Grafil, is one of millions of Filipinos who remembers Pope John Paul II with fondness and love. After WYD in Manila, Jo was invited to work in one of the dicastery in the Vatican, the Youth Section of the Pontifical Council for the Laity and assisted in three Synods of Bishops. The former pontiff used to call her Filipina, and she remembers the deep love and passion that Pope John Paul II had for the young. “He changed my life. I remember he told us, talking to the team who prepared his meetings, that whenever and wherever we go, we should extend his blessings to the people we meet,” Jo fondly reminisces.

The Araneta event is considered doubly meaningful as Filipino Catholics are celebrating the Year of the Laity. Pope John Paul II was known as the pontiff who called everyone to holiness, regardless of stature in life. The Year of the Laity echoes Pope John Paul II’s exhortation for everyone to be shepherds, servants and saints. Pope John Paul II was also the pope who apologized for the wrongdoings of the Church, an act duplicated in recent years by Pope Benedict and Pope Francis. It will also be a way for the lay faithful to watch the canonization rites because even pilgrims going to Rome for the April 27 event will have a hard time securing tickets at St. Peter’s Square. According to former Amb. Henrietta de Villa, that “since last week, the pontifical household has no more tickets to issue for April 27.”

Admission for Shepherds, Servants and Saints is free. Tickets will be available on April 23 onwards at Jesuit Communications’ Tanging Yaman stores (Sonolux Building, Ateneo de Manila University, SM Megamall) and St. Paul’s Stores (Gateway Mall and SM North EDSA and Mall of Asia). Tickets will also be available at the Ticketnet office on event day.