Pope heading to Philippines, where adoring crowds await
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) - Pope Francis is heading for the Philippines on Thursday where adoring crowds await his arrival as the first pope to visit the predominantly Catholic nation in 20 years.
The government has declared national holidays during his visit, which runs through the weekend.
During his time in Sri Lanka, he traveled to the jungles of war-torn north for a show of solidarity with the victims of the country's 25-year civil war, urging people to forgive one another "for all the evil which this land has known."
The pope's trip is giving Philippine authorities daunting security challenges, including an outdoor Mass on Sunday that could draw a record 6 million people.
Francis also plans to visit Tacloban, which devastated by a typhoon in 2013.
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Pope Francis frees a dove in Madhu, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015. Pope Francis traveled to the jungles of war-torn northern Sri Lanka on Wednesday to show solidarity with the victims of the country's 25-year civil war and urge forgiveness and reconciliation "for all the evil which this land has known." (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, Pool)
The Associated Press
Pope Francis stretches out his hand to touch the hands of his devotees as he arrives at the church of Our Lady of Madhu in Madhu, Sri Lanka,Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015. Thousands of people waving the white and yellow Vatican flags were on hand to welcome Francis to the Our Lady of Madhu shrine, which is revered by both Sinhalese and Tamil Catholics, as well as Sri Lankans of other faiths. Francis also traveled to the jungles of war-torn northern Sri Lanka on Wednesday to show solidarity with the victims of the country's 25-year civil war and urge forgiveness and reconciliation "for all the evil which this land has known." (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
The Associated Press
Pope Francis delivers a prayer at the church of Our Lady of Madhu in Madhu, Sri Lanka,Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015. Thousands of people waving the white and yellow Vatican flags were on hand to welcome Francis to the Our Lady of Madhu shrine, which is revered by both Sinhalese and Tamil Catholics, as well as Sri Lankans of other faiths. Francis also traveled to the jungles of war-torn northern Sri Lanka on Wednesday to show solidarity with the victims of the country's 25-year civil war and urge forgiveness and reconciliation "for all the evil which this land has known." (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
The Associated Press
Pope Francis holds a statue of Our Lady of Madhu during his visit to the church in Madhu, Sri Lanka,Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015. Thousands of people waving the white and yellow Vatican flags were on hand to welcome Francis to the Our Lady of Madhu shrine, which is revered by both Sinhalese and Tamil Catholics, as well as Sri Lankans of other faiths. Francis also traveled to the jungles of war-torn northern Sri Lanka on Wednesday to show solidarity with the victims of the country's 25-year civil war and urge forgiveness and reconciliation "for all the evil which this land has known." (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
The Associated Press
Pope Francis, center, delivers a prayer at the church of Our Lady of Madhu in Madhu, Sri Lanka,Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015. Thousands of people waving the white and yellow Vatican flags were on hand to welcome Francis to the Our Lady of Madhu shrine, which is revered by both Sinhalese and Tamil Catholics, as well as Sri Lankans of other faiths. Francis also traveled to the jungles of war-torn northern Sri Lanka on Wednesday to show solidarity with the victims of the country's 25-year civil war and urge forgiveness and reconciliation "for all the evil which this land has known." (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, Pool)
The Associated Press
Tear rolls down the cheeks of a Catholic devotee as Pope Francis delivers a prayer at the church of Our Lady of Madhu in Madhu, Sri Lanka,Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015. Thousands of people waving the white and yellow Vatican flags were on hand to welcome Francis to the Our Lady of Madhu shrine, which is revered by both Sinhalese and Tamil Catholics, as well as Sri Lankans of other faiths. Francis also traveled to the jungles of war-torn northern Sri Lanka on Wednesday to show solidarity with the victims of the country's 25-year civil war and urge forgiveness and reconciliation "for all the evil which this land has known." (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
The Associated Press
A woman prays as she waits for Pope Francis arrival to Our Lady of Madhu shrine, in Madhu, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015. Pope Francis traveled to the jungles of war-torn northern Sri Lanka on Wednesday to show solidarity with the victims of the country's 25-year civil war and urge forgiveness and reconciliation "for all the evil which this land has known." (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, Pool)
The Associated Press
A woman prays as she waits for Pope Francis arrival to Our Lady of Madhu shrine, in Madhu, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015. Pope Francis traveled to the jungles of war-torn northern Sri Lanka on Wednesday to show solidarity with the victims of the country's 25-year civil war and urge forgiveness and reconciliation "for all the evil which this land has known." (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, Pool)
The Associated Press
Pope Francis waves to faithful as he arrives in Madhu, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015. Pope Francis traveled to the jungles of war-torn northern Sri Lanka on Wednesday to show solidarity with the victims of the country's 25-year civil war and urge forgiveness and reconciliation "for all the evil which this land has known." (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, Pool)
The Associated Press
Pope Francis waves to the crowd as he arrives to hold a mass at Colombo's seafront Galle Face Green for the canonization ceremony of Joseph Vaz, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015. Francis declared Vaz a saint at the start of the service. The church considers Vaz a great model for today's faithful, ministering to the faithful of both Sri Lanka's ethnic groups and putting himself at great risk to spread the faith. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)
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Pope Francis, holding his pastoral staff, arrives in the seafront Galle Face Green for the canonization ceremony of Joseph Vaz, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015. Pope Francis pressed his call for Sri Lankan unity and reconciliation Wednesday with a Mass in Colombo to canonize the country's first saint and a visit to the war-ravaged north to pray at a shrine revered by both Sinhalese and Tamil faithful.(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
The Associated Press
Devotees rest with others as they wait to attend a mass by Pope Francis to be held Wednesday, at the Galle Face in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015. Pope Francis brought calls for reconciliation and justice to Sri Lanka on Tuesday as he began a weeklong Asian tour, saying the island nation can't fully heal from a quarter-century of brutal civil war without pursuing the truth about abuses that were committed. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)
The Associated Press
Ranjani Michaliya prays as she waits with others for a mass to be held by Pope Francis on Wednesday, at the Galle Face in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015. Pope Francis arrived in Sri Lanka Tuesday at the start of a weeklong Asian tour saying the island nation can't fully heal from a quarter-century of ethnic civil war without pursuing truth for the injustices committed. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)
The Associated Press
Pope Francis smiles after getting a garland from a child as he arrives for an interfaith meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015. Pope Francis brought calls for reconciliation and justice to Sri Lanka on Tuesday as he began a weeklong Asian tour, saying the island nation can't fully heal from a quarter-century of brutal civil war without pursuing the truth about abuses that were committed. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)
The Associated Press
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