Palo Archdiocese keeps pope's raincoat, cap, etc.

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — Pope Francis' trip to Leyte lasted half a day, but the memories he left will last a lifetime.

This is what the Archdiocese of Palo hopes to ensure with the creation of a mini-museum that will showcase several items belonging to the Holy Father, including the yellow raincoat he wore and his skull cap, among others.

Father Amadeo Alvero, spokesperson and media coordinator of the archdiocese, the pope's short visit to the province "is really an experience that Leyteños will never forget."

The yellow poncho the pontiff wore, along with the ciborium, chalice and linens used during the Holy Mass at the Tacloban Airport, are now kept at the Gonzagahaus (Archbishop's Residence) nad will be displayed in a mini-museum that the archdiocese will set up soon.

Alvero said the Pope wore three raincoats during his visit here, but only one was preserved as the others were forcibly torn to be easily removed from him as he alighted from the Popemobile and proceeded to his next scheduled activity.

The archdiocese, as a way of the faithful's gratitude, gave Pope Francis a "Filipinized" version of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception as a ceremonial keepsake of his visit to the Archdiocese of Palo.

The image, handcrafted by the renowned sculptor Willy Layug of Pampanga, was made from one of the rafters of the Metropolitan Cathedral of our Lord's Transfiguration severely destroyed in the onslaught of super typhoon Yolanda on November 8, 2013.

Alvero noted, however, that there are no concrete plans yet about the putting up of a marker or monument at the Tacloban Airport to commemorate the Papal Mass attended by an estimated 150,000 people, who all wore yellow ponchos, the color of the Vatican. (FREEMAN)