Cancer patient ready to die after pope’s blessing

MANILA, Philippines - A cancer-stricken 77-year-old man clutched a bottle of water, a rosary and towels as he waited for the convoy of Pope Francis to pass through the intersection of Libertad street and Roxas Boulevard at a spot he had occupied since the first papal visit 45 years ago.

“I’m already old. Receiving the blessing from Pope Francis will complete my life. Blessings from the popes (who previously visited the country) had helped me overcome my sickness and hardships in life,” Jose Abarido told The STAR in Filipino Thursday night.

Abarido traveled from Dasmariñas City in Cavite to perform the ritual that he has been doing for every papal visit in the country. It began in 1970 during the visit of Pope Paul VI, then in 1981 and 1995 during the visits of Pope John Paul II, who has been made a saint.

“I always stay at a distance from the crowd so that I could get a full view of the Popemobile and get the pope’s blessings,” he said.

Abarido, a retired printing press operator, said his rituals include raising his rosary, bottle of water and towels bearing the image of the Black Nazarene while making a wish as the Popemobile passes.

He said the blessed water and towels have helped cure the ailments of members of his family.

“Accompanied with prayers, a sip of the holy water and a wipe of the towel had driven away ailments. That’s why I reached the ripe age of 77,” he said.

Abarido, however, said he was diagnosed with prostrate cancer while his wife suffers from hypertension.

The blessed towels from previous papal visits are gone, although his family continues to pray over its ailing members, he said.

For the past three weeks, Abarido tried to locate the exact place where he had waited during the past three papal visits.

At dusk, as blinkers of the papal convoy were seen, Abarido raised his bottle of water, rosary and towels, and began chanting his prayers. The Popemobile, however, went through the other side of the road.

Abarido just closed his eyes and took a deep breath as the pope passed him by.

“I am now ready to die. I breathed the same air Pope Francis breathed,” he told The STAR, as he briskly walked and disappeared into the sea of people occupying his spot along Roxas Boulevard.