Church launches logo for papal visit

MANILA, Philippines - The logo for the upcoming visit of Pope Francis depicts the Philippines as a pearl with the merciful and compassionate arms of the Holy Father embracing the country.

Explaining the meaning of the logo to the media yesterday, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle said while the colors white, yellow, blue and red are the ones that represent the Philippine flag, the emblem has a different interpretation.

The yellow circle in the middle of the logo is a pearl that represents the country, since it has earned the moniker as “Pearl of the Orient,” he said.

He added that beside the pearl is a white cross that shows Christian faith, while the red and blue outer circles symbolize mercy and compassion.

“The two circles are not real circles. They are arms (of Pope Francis) that embrace the Philippines,” he said.