In the Philippines alone during his recent visit, imagine the number of times the good pontiff broke through the protective shielding of his men in black just to be near the eager pilgrims.
Just watching him on TV, I kept on imagining snipers hiding in one of the buildings along the papal route getting a good aim of Pope Francis as he passed by in his very open Popemobile. Hordes of bodyguards would simply be no match for a sniper's bullet aimed straight for the Pope's head.
Even with no potential snipers, the crowds could still be a source of pain. If only one of them decided to reach out, grab the Pope's hand while he and his bodyguards passed by in the Popemobile, and not let go, then we'd be having a Pope with a broken arm and a generous helping of disdain coming from the international community.
Even with no potential snipers, the crowds could still be a source of pain. If only one of them decided to reach out, grab the Pope's hand while he and his bodyguards passed by in the Popemobile, and not let go, then we'd be having a Pope with a broken arm and a generous helping of disdain coming from the international community.
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| ROCK STAR. Pope Francis approaching the crowds upon his arrival at the Mall of Asia Arena for his meeting with families. (Photo from Yahoo News Philippines) |
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| AMID A SEA OF YELLOW. Pope Francis greets pilgrims in Yolanda- stricken Tacloban City despite the inclement weather. (Photo from Wikimedia) |
See those crowds? And see how Pope Francis could have been an easy target?
I am just grateful that the Pope has a guardian angel with a shield the size of the Tacloban Astrodome to protect him from any ill-willed individual. Otherwise, we'd be having an international crisis in our hands.
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Despite all the risks he was putting himself into, Pope Francis still made it a point to reach out to the people, especially to those who tirelessly lined the entire papal route and the various venues where his holy essence was shared.
And what better way to reach out to the Shepherd's flock in the Philippines than through the most calming and most sincere gesture of love and concern -- a hug!
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Even before Pope Francis came to the Philippines, we already knew his penchant for breaking protocol and undoing frivolous traditions in the Vatican. Simplicity and humility were already touted as his strongest traits, having been born into a middle-income family in Argentina. He was most comfortable with the impoverished, and he allowed himself to be immersed into their world. Having seen the plight of the poor, and comparing it with some of the ostentatious trappings of life in the Vatican, he decided that he will have none of that Vatican frou-frou and instead, continue embodying the lessons he learned from his dealings with the have-nots.
Which is why even when he was here, Pope Francis insisted to wear the typical priest's black pants and shoes under his cassock instead of the recommended white pants and red loafers intended for pontiffs; why he wanted simple meals instead of gustatory feasts; why he wanted less of his face plastered on billboards and tarpaulins while doing the rounds in his visit; and why he wore the same yellow plastic raincoat being worn by attendees to the mass in Tacloban City and braved the rains with them.
He just could not get enough of being one with the people.
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Going back to the papal hugs.
What is a hug, anyway? It is probably among the most positive, barrier-breaking gestures any person could offer to his fellowman. In giving a hug, one also receives a hug, and it allows for a sharing of warmth and fragility. It is the non-verbal way of saying, "This is just me, nothing more, nothing less, and I am offering what I am to you."
This pope is very generous with his hugs, much to the consternation of his security people and the Vatican conservatives.
After all, we do know that Pope Francis is the Vicar of Christ, the successor of St. Peter. How cool could it be to be locked in an affectionate bear hug with this holy man?
Apparently, after his visit to our country, many Filipinos already know what that feeling is.
It must be as if you're embracing Jesus Christ Himself.
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Probably the first Filipino personality to benefit from Pope Francis' propensity for hugging was Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle. Archbishop Tagle encountered the Pontiff in Rome during a meeting in Vatican that was scheduled a few days just after Super Typhoon Yolanda struck Central Philippines. They were already friends even before Yolanda and his rise to the papacy happened, which is why the embrace between the two was one borne out of deep concern and a need to console an injured populace through its representative in the Church.
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| CONSOLING. Pope Francis embraces Arch. Luis Antonio Tagle after the former learns of the catastrophe brought about by Super Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines. (Photo from Rappler) |
Then came the numerous hugs he gave during his actual visit, especially to the children.
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| WEEPING IS GOOD. Former street kids in the UST youth encounter. (Photo from Yahoo News Philippines) |
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| HUGS. "Can I hug you?" asked a former street kid who was among those visited by Pope Francis at the halfway house, Tulay ng Kabataan. (Photo from CBCP News) |
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| GROUP HUG. Youth attendees in UST (Photo from Yahoo News Philippines) |
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| WELCOME HUG. This little boy was among the first to get a hug and a kiss from Pope Francis upon his arrival at the Villamor Air Base for his Philippine visit. Pres. Noynoy Aquino looks on. (Photo from PhilStar.com) |
Needless to say, the Pontiff was also very generous with his kisses to babies and children among the crowds.
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| Kissing in Luneta. (Photo from BBC) |
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| Kissing in Malacanang Palace just before the Pope's meeting with the President. (Photo from Yahoo News Philippines) |
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| Kissing a child with special needs at the Mall of Asia Arena. (Photo from Yahoo News Philippines) |
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| Kissing in the rain. (Photo from PhilStar.com) |
Pope (now Saint) John Paul II, another charismatic pope, also had a penchant for kissing babies, but - correct me if I'm wrong - I never saw him giving away hugs as much as Pope Francis did.
Now, Pope Francis connected with his flock - and was not afraid to do so. I even heard stories about him sacking his former security detail because of their being too huffy-puffy over him, not allowing him the chance to come close to the people who came out to see him.
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He may be as unorthodox as unorthodox can be, but perhaps Pope Francis is exactly the kind of pope the Roman Catholic Church needs. In an era where spirituality and moral ascendance is being set aside for the problems and trivialities of the modern world, he is showing to us that he - and the whole institution he is representing - is in the here and now. And he is sending that message in the simplest of terms possible so that it can be easily understood and taken to heart.
The message is still the same and remains pure - to love, as Jesus Christ taught us.
Thus, to continue spreading the Word, Pope Francis visits countries like Sri Lanka and the Philippines. He consoles survivors of tragedies. He holds masses in the rain before multitudes of people. He reaches out to the oppressed and weeps with them.
And he gives hugs.
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