Papal Masses in Leyte, Luneta will be in English – CBCP

3-year-old Paulo Domingo helps his father by trying to fix the nails to the picture frame in preparation for Pope Francis visit on January 15-19 at the Quirino Grandstand, Manila on Saturday (January 3, 2015). (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)

MANILA — The two Eucharistic Celebrations to be officiated by Pope Francis in Leyte and in Manila will be in English as he wants the people to understand him, according to the head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

Archbishop Socrates Villegas, CBCP president, said the Vatican has approved that the Masses to be held near the Tacloban International Airport on January 17 and at the Quirino Grandstand on January 18, will be in English.

“He wants to reach out to more people,” he said.

Villegas added, “Latin is hard for many while English is easy to understand.”

However, the Mass to be held at the Manila Cathedral on January 16, will be in Latin. The attendees will be priests, nuns, religious men and women.

“The Mass will be in Latin. Sanay naman clergy and bishops sa Latin,” he added.

Pope Francis will be in the country for his four-day Apostolic and State Visit from January 15 to 19.

Among his activities includes: meeting the survivors of natural calamities such as the Bohol earthquake and super typhoon Yolanda that struck Eastern Visayas in 2013; his meeting with the Filipino youth, other religious organizations and families.