A Saint’s Ride

The year 1995 was a very special one for Philippine Roman Catholics. The Philippines was chosen as the host of the World Youth Day – the first Asian country to do so – and as part of the festivities the Pope was set to return to the country after his first visit in 1981. The parade was to be along Roxas Boulevard, ending at Luneta. Pope John Paul II was a pontiff well-loved by Filipino Roman Catholics; having beatified Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino martyr during his 1981 visit. Coincidentally, the beatification was also the first to be done outside of Rome. With his fondness of the country so vivid, it felt right to prepare accordingly for Pope JPII’s second visit.

pope 17

These emblems used to be pretty common on our roads.

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