Pope Francis delivers his blessing during the Angelus noon prayer he celebrated from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. The Pontiff has led tens of thousands of people at the Vatican in silent prayer for the victims of the typhoon that has ravaged the Philippines. The Pope told a crowd of pilgrims, tourists and Romans that he wanted to assure the people of the Philippines and surrounding region that he feels close to them. He lamented the high toll of dead and the enormous damage, then requested silent prayer for "our brothers and sisters." Francis also said: "let us try to get our concrete aid" to those suffering from the storm. The Philippines has the largest number of Catholics in Asia, and Filipinos are one of Rome's biggest immigrant communities. AP/Andrew Medichini
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis has offered words of comfort to Filipinos about the deadly typhoon that devastated the island nation.
Francis told Filipinos who live in Rome they should pray what he called "the prayer of 'why,'" which he explained meant asking "why," as children repeatedly do of their parents, while not expecting answers.
Francis added: "I, too, accompany you with the prayer of the why.'"
The pope met with Filipinos on Thursday in St. Peter's Basilica, where Manila Cardinal Luis Tagle presided over a religious ceremony.
Francis also blessed a mosaic of a Filipino youth, St. Pedro Calungsod, a 17th-century martyr.
The pope says he had heard "that (your) sorrow was strong, but also the people were strong" after the typhoon.