Yolanda survivors pray for Pope Francis as they offer prayers for his full recovery amid his hospitalization due to respiratory illness.
According to Archbishop John Du of the Archdiocese of Palo, Leyte, their prayers for the Holy Father reflect their deep love and gratitude for him.
Pope Francis visited Tacloban City and Palo, Leyte, in 2015, where he personally met with the victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda.
The archbishop emphasized that the Pope brought hope and unity to communities devastated by the storm, and his presence reminded the survivors that they were not alone in their healing and rebuilding process.
He added that prayers and Mass offerings would continue within the Archdiocese of Palo, together with the faithful, as a gesture of love and appreciation for the Holy Father.
Super Typhoon Yolanda, internationally known as Haiyan, struck the Philippines on November 8, 2013, as one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded.
The storm brought catastrophic winds and storm surges that flattened entire communities, particularly in the Eastern Visayas region, leaving over 6,000 people dead and millions displaced.
Tacloban City in Leyte was among the hardest-hit areas, with thousands of homes destroyed and widespread loss of life.
From January 15 to 19, 2015, Pope Francis visited the Philippines, with one of the highlights being his meeting with Yolanda survivors, where he expressed his solidarity and compassion for those affected.
The Holy Father remains at Gemelli Hospital after being admitted on February 14 due to a respiratory illness.
