Storm cuts short Pope Francis’ trip to typhoon-hit Philippine city

Pope Francis cut short his visit to a typhoon-hit region of the Philippines on Saturday because of an approaching storm. In brief, unscripted comments, Francis took the microphone soon after arriving at the main cathedral in Leyte province and told a surprised crowd that he would have to leave at 1 p.m., four hours ahead of schedule. Some of the priests, nuns and others in the cathedral groaned, though mostly in a good-humored way.Tropical Storm Mekkhala, packing winds of 100 kilometers per hour, suspended ferry services to Leyte and stranded thousands of travelers, including some who wanted to see the pope. With the winds strong enough to blow away thatched roofs common in the regions, it is forecast to slam ashore on nearby Samar Island later Saturday.

I apologize to all of you. I am sad about this, truly saddened, because I had something prepared especially for you.

Pope Francis, speaking in Italian through a translator

The pontiff had traveled to the far eastern Philippines to comfort survivors of the devastating 2013 typhoon, himself braving rains and heavy winds from an approaching storm and conceding that it was hard to find the right words when surrounded by so much pain. Haiyan, the strongest storm ever recorded on land, left 7,350 people dead or missing in November 2013 as it devastated fishing and farming towns on central islands that were already among the Philippines’ poorest. Fourteen months later, many of those communities are still struggling to recover, with the rubble of destroyed buildings laying in piles and millions of felled coconut trees strewn across idle farmland.

I don’t know what to say to you, but the Lord does know what to say to you. Some of you lost part of your families. All I can do is keep silent. And I walk with you all with my silent heart.

Pope Francis, speaking to 150,000 Catholic faithful in an open field near the airport in Tacloban, the city hit hardest by Typhoon Haiyan

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