PHILIPPINES: AN ESTIMATED FOUR MILLION ATTEND POPE'S WORLD YOUTH DAY MASS

In a climax to Pope John Paul's visit to the Philippines an estimated four million people, the largest crowds to greet the Pontiff during his 16 years in office, attended his World Youth Day Mass on Sunday (January 15), Vatican officials said.

On Saturday the Pope attended a youth rally in central Manila's Luneta Park where police estimated up to half a million people awaited him.

They beat drums, set off firecrackers, sang and chanted for 15 minutes when the Pontiff arrived at the park. The Pope playfully waved his cane at dancers greeting him during the ceremonies.

Police and Vatican officials put the crowd at Sunday's mass in Manila's Rizal Park at more than ten million.

The 74-year-old Pontiff had originally been scheduled to travel the three kilometres (two miles) from the Apostolic Nunciature to the park by road.

But he had to travel by helicopter because roads leading there were completely blocked by people.

The Pope, who has had difficulty in walking since surgery on his right leg last year, was helped from the white-painted helicopter.

A delegation from China's state-sanctioned Catholic church attended the event in one of the clearest indications of warming relations since Beijing broke with the Vatican in the 1950s.

World Youth Day is a Roman Catholic event held every year, alternatively in Rome and another city.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (JANUARY 14-15, 1995) 

(RTV/POOL-ACCESS ALL) 

(JANUARY 14) 

1. GV NIGHT SCENES POPE JOHN PAUL MOVING THROUGH 

STREETS 0.05 

2. GV/SV CROWDS (5 SHOTS) 0.20 

3. SV POPE TWIRLING CANE 0.33 

4. GV CROWD SINGING 0.38 

5. SV/LV POPE SWAYING WITH SINGERS ON STAGE (2 SHOTS) 0.50 

6. AERIAL VIEW OF HUGE CROWD HOLDING CANDLES 0.54 

7. GV POPEMOBILE TRAVELLING THROUGH CROWDS 1.04 

8. SV AUSTRALIAN FLAG/ZOOM OUT AUSTRALIAN 

DELEGATES (2 SHOTS) 1.12 

8. GV/SV PEOPLE PRAYING /SLEEPING (4 SHOTS) 1.36 

(JANUARY 15) 

9. SV PAN CHINESE DELEGATION/FLAG 1.42 

10. SLV HELICOPTER - POPE ARRIVING 1.50 

11. GV MILLIONS CHEERING 1.53 

12. SV POPE ARRIVES AND WAVES 2.04 

13. GV CARDINALS 2.08 

14. SV POPE SAYING "YOUNG PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES AND ALL OVER THE WORLD, I AM VERY HAPPY TO BE WITH YOU" (ENGLISH) 2.20 

15. AERIAL/PAN OF CROWD (2 SHOTS) 2.33 

16. SV POPE GREETING PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT FIDEL RAMOS 2.39 

17. SV SECURITY FORCES WITH SNIPER RIFLES ON ROOF OF NEARBY BUILDING 2.43 

18. AERIAL OF CROWD 2.47 

19. GV POPE CLIMBING INTO HELICOPTER AFTER SERVICE/HELICOPTER LEAVING 2.59