[OPINION] Remembering Pope John Paul II: A centenary homage

'There was in Pope John Paul II a natural ability to recognize the person behind the veneer of social status, physical ailment, religious membership, ethnicity, or economic class and see her as someone worthy of respect'

#ThewRap: Things you need to know, April 3, 2018

Hello! Here are the stories you shouldn't miss this Tuesday

Manila Cathedral to display blood relic of Pope John Paul II

'This is the first-ever blood relic of the great Pope still in liquid form stored in a glass container here in our country,' says the Manila Cathedral

Pope Francis walks alone through Auschwitz

3rd UPDATE The Argentine pontiff leads prayers for the 1 1 million mostly Jewish victims murdered at the camp

Pope Francis faces tepid welcome in migrant-wary Poland

Experts say Francis will have a hard time winning over hearts and minds in the devout central European country

Cloth with Pope John Paul II's blood stolen in Germany

Its material value is small but the spiritual loss is much greater the provost of the Cologne Cathedral is quoted as saying

Marcos wealth, John Paul II ‘intimate letters,’ stegodon tusk | 12PM wRap

Watch Rappler’s 12PM newscast with Zak Yuson

John Paul II had intense friendship with married woman – BBC documentary

While the documentary does not claim he broke his vow of celibacy with Polish born philosopher and writer Anna Teresa Tymieniecka the tone of some of his letters to her points to intense feelings between them

An open letter to Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama

A heritage advocate writes to save the trees along Pope John Paul II Avenue in Cebu City from being uprooted for road widening purposes

Palace received info on 'threat' vs Pope Francis

Malacañang says the information is raw and unverified but was relayed by security officials out of prudence

A mother's prayer to Pope Francis

A mother believes Pope Francis will be able to grant her wish for her daughter just like Saint Pope John Paul II did when he came to the Philippines

How a Filipino woman saved the Pope

In January 1995 policewoman Aida Fariscal arrested a terrorist Her work was crucial to saving thousands of lives

Airlifts and emergencies: Keeping people safe in a papal visit

Things don’t always go to plan when an overeager crowd welcomes a widely popular religious leader

Terror scenarios in Pope visit

Authorities identify at least 7 threat groups during Pope Francis visit to the Philippines

Agenda: Securing Pope Francis

Pope Francis will have 44 sub events in the Philippines a nightmare for security authorities

Past popes and Philippine presidents

Past popes have commented on state affairs in previous visits to the Philippines Will Pope Francis known for his blunt frankness do the same?

WATCH: When Al-Qaeda targeted Pope John Paul II

What happened the last time a pope visited the Philippines?

Quevedo: Pope combines heart and mind

Pope Francis may be conservative in doctrine but his pastoral practice is more generous and compassionate says Cardinal Orlando Quevedo

Looking back: The visits of Paul VI and John Paul II

God truly blessed us with their presence and most of all because in seeing them we were brought closer to Jesus Christ No doubt this is what we will experience with the coming of Pope Francis

'Tell The World of His Love': Remember this song?

When Pope John Paul II came to the Philippines for the World Youth Day in 1995 he was welcomed by the Catholic faithful with a song called Tell The World of His Love This is the story behind the song

Plot to kill a pope: 'Miracle' saved John Paul II in Manila

Ramzi Yousef the architect of the first World Trade Center bombing plotted to assassinate Pope John Paul II in Manila in 1995 He fled but was later arrested in Pakistan

John Paul II in Manila: His 7 best words for Filipinos

What can we learn from John Paul as Francis visits the Philippines?

Do you know them? They walked with Saint John Paul

We’re counting on social media to help us find these people who have ‘walked with a saint’ – 9 individuals who were part of Pope John Paul II’s convoy when he visited the Philippines in 1995 Do you know any of them?

Touched by a saint: A close encounter with Pope John Paul II

What’s it like to meet someone like a pope? Anna Marco recounts her meeting with Pope – now Saint – John Paul II back in 1995

WATCH: 'Tell The World of His Love' composer performs her song

Watch songwriter Trina Belamide sing her own composition and look back at the past papal visits in the Philippines

Black Nazarene, Aquino on Garin, 'Charlie' worldwide rally | The wRap

Millions flock to the Black Nazarene procession in Manila New Philippine health secretary: Janette Garin Protesters worldwide condemn the Paris attack

The man who shoots popes

Veteran photographer Noli Yamsuan Jr shares his wealth of experience through years of shooting papal visits and his expectations from the Pope Francis coverage

John Paul II gets flowers from would-be assassin

The latest highly publicized act of contrition by Mehmet Ali Agca comes 31 years to the day after John Paul II visited him in prison in Rome to forgive him for the 1981 shooting

When the Pope visits, it will be different from 1995

Philippine Ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr who organized both trips compares the 1995 and 2015 papal visits

Philippines' top Dominican 'humbled' by Vatican job

Fr Gerard Francisco Timoner III also vice chancellor of the University of Santo Tomas tells Rappler his Filipino context will help in his new assignment

'What would we die for?' Pope asks at mass for Korean martyrs

According to the Church around 10 000 Koreans were martyred in the first 100 years after Catholicism was introduced to the peninsula in 1784

#PugadBaboy: Dogma punchline 3

#PugadBaboy: Dogma punchline 2

#PugadBaboy: Dogma

Our popes: New saints an inspiration to Filipinos

Many devotees of the two popes were moved to tears during the Philippine tribute to the two new saints on April 27

Tagle to Filipinos: Everyone is called to be holy

Cardinal Tagle says the canonization rites show holiness can be attained even by ordinary people

Why Popes John XXIII, John Paul II are dear to Pinoys

The country has a lot of reasons to celebrate the canonization of John XXIII and John Paul II as they established connections with Filipinos

Tagle to lead PH tribute to twin papal canonization

Filipinos go to the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City to pay tribute to Popes John XXIII and John Paul III who will be declared saints today

Pilgrims converge in Vatican for canonization of popes

More than one million faithful are expected to attend what will be a unique event

The Pope who loved the Filipino youth, family, and chocolate cake

Always the late John Paul II would ask Archbishop Cruz how the Filipino youth and family are living the faith and would recall the extraordinary welcome he had during his papal visits

Filipinos looking forward to canonization of 2 popes

Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII are set to be proclaimed saints on Sunday April 27

PHLPost to issue gold-foiled 3D stamps for Popes' canonization

The Philippine Postal Corporation will issue limited edition stamps to commemorate the canonization of Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII

Ukraine PM to meet Pope Francis amid crisis

The Vatican has faced some criticism over its low key reaction to the spiraling crisis in Ukraine

Dissenters voice doubt over John Paul II sainthood

Pope John Paul is slated to be declared a saint on Sunday but some disagree with the declaration of his sainthood

Italian police find John Paul II relic discarded by thieves

The stolen relic a piece of golden threaded cloth stained with the late Pope John Paul II s blood after a 1981 assassination attempt was found in a garage after three robbers threw it away thinking it was not valuable

Vatican sets April 27 for historic two-pope sainthood

Pope Francis will canonize his predecessors John Paul II and John XXIII on April 27

Pope to unveil sainthood date for John Paul II, John XXIII

The unprecedented double sainthood for two popes is seen by Vatican watchers as an attempt to breach a traditional left right divide in the Church

Costa Rican woman details 2nd John Paul 'miracle'

Floribeth Mora was cured of brain aneurysm

Vatican approves sainthood for John Paul II, John XXIII

Pope Francis gives the go ahead for John Paul II to be made a saint and grants a rare exception for the canonization of another predecessor John XXIII

Choice of Pope Francis boosts Tagle's future chances

If Tagle is able to create a stir among his peers in the next few years his being pope is not far fetched