Pope Leo XIV prayed for Asian communities, including the Philippines, that endured devastating storms this September.
Posting on his official X (formerly Twitter) account Sunday evening, September 28, the pontiff urged people to “show solidarity” with those who lost loved ones, remain missing, or continue to suffer from the disasters.
“I am close to everyone, especially the poorest, affected by the exceptionally strong typhoon that has struck various parts of Asia. I pray for the victims, those who are missing, the many displaced families, and countless people who have suffered hardship,” Pope Leo said.
He also prayed for protection for rescue workers and civil authorities who continue to respond in affected areas. “I invite everyone to trust in God and to show solidarity,” he added.
In the Philippines, successive storms—Mirasol, Super Typhoon Nando (international name: Ragasa), and most recently Opong (international name: Bualoi)—destroyed villages and forced thousands of families into evacuation centers.
Super Typhoon Nando also ravaged Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, China, and Vietnam, while Opong exited the Philippines last week and is now heading toward Vietnam.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, maintains a personal blog on Medium, and is the communications officer of Hope Builders Organization Negros Island.