Hours before Mass, pilgrims call Luneta gathering a ‘disaster’

Thousands of the faithful wait in the rain at Rizal Park where Pope Francis will celebrate his final Mass in Manila, Jan. 18. AP

MANILA, Philippines—Hours before Pope Francis says Mass at Quirino Grandstand on Sunday afternoon before a crowd of estimated six million people, several pilgrims anticipating the Pope’s arrival declared the event a “disaster.”

By early Sunday morning, the streets surrounding Rizal Park swelled with pilgrims coming from various parts of the country.

The pilgrims’ queue to enter Luneta Park through Maria Orosa Street reached Roxas Boulevard corner United Nations Avenue by 6 a.m on Sunday. By the time they reached Maria Orosa Street, they were redirected to Taft Avenue, bringing confusion to most and anger to some people.

After surviving the long queue which snaked through Manila’s streets, pilgrims pushed and shoved each other as they inched their way to Quirino Grandstand.

The metal detectors which will supposedly secure the public were not functioning and the metal barriers were broken as crowds filled Rizal Park.

The heavy rains brought by Tropical Storm “Amang” failed to douse the flaring temper of pilgrims stuck in the queue.

“Because of this long queue, I now believe in the concept of ‘forever’! This is a disaster!” an exasperated young man who refused to reveal his identity told INQUIRER.net, with other pilgrims voicing their affirmation.

He said that his group traveled to Manila from Legazpi City just to see Pope Francis.

Meanwhile, Divine Rivero, 58, said that people’s lack of discipline contributed in sowing “chaos” in Luneta.

She also narrated how she was reportedly harassed by a police official while asking if she and her two companions could get near Quirino Grandstand.

“A policeman shouted at me. He said I should not be insistent on our demand. I replied, ‘Don’t shout at me! Remember you are still wearing your police uniform,” she said in Filipino.

Meanwhile, as most people followed the government’s directives to bring transparent bags and leave umbrellas in their houses, the heavy rains brought by Amang forced some to violate these rules.

According to the latest weather bulletin issued by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), Metro Manila is under signal number 1.

Pope Francis’ Mass at the Quirino Grandstand is said to be celebrated before a crowd of six million people.

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