Pope prays for girl who died in Tacloban after mass

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED 5:55 p.m.) - Pope Francis on Sunday asked for prayers for the volunteer worker who died before the papal mass in Tacloban City on Saturday morning.

"I would like all of you, young like her, to pray for a moment in silence with me and then we pray to our mama, our lady, in heaven," the pope said before thousands of young people during a Mass at the University of Santo Tomas grounds in Manila.

The pope recalled that the 27-year-old volunteer named Kristel died after being pinned by a scaffolding before the Mass in Tacloban City started.

The victim's full name is Kristel Mae "Mhai" Padasas, voluteer at the VSO Bahaginan. According to her Facebook account, she lived in Taguig City and was a native of Buhi, Camarines Sur. 

The scaffolding collapsed due to the strong winds spawned by Tropical Storm "Amang." The tropical cyclone was also the reason why the pope had to cut short his visit in Tacloban City.

The pope had said that he decided to come to the Philippines after seeing the suffering of Tacloban City because of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

After praying for the girl, the pope also asked the youthful crowd before him to pray for the victim's parents.

He said Kristel was an only daughter.

"Let us pray for her parents. She was an only daughter. Her mother is coming from Hong Kong. His father is coming from Manila," the pope said.

Upon his return to the papal embassy, Pope Francis met with the girl's daughter.

Pope Francis was at the University of Santo Tomas for the youth encounter.

Reports said that officials of the university were expecting at least 100,000 people to witness the youth encounter with the pope.

After the youth encounter, the pope will celebrate a Papal Mass at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, his fourth day in the Philippines.

The pope will leave the Philippines on Monday, January 19.