‘It’s a dream’: Filipinos in Singapore rejoice at once-in-a-lifetime chance to see pope

The last papal visit was in 1986 when Pope John Paul II stopped by the city state for five hours

Reading Time:2 minutes

Pope Francis waves to members of the Catholic community at a cathedral in Jakarta last week. The pontiff is set to arrive in Singapore on Wednesday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 11:32am, 9 Sep 2024Updated: 2:31pm, 9 Sep 2024

Filipino hospital administrator Anna Galarrita and Filipino domestic helper Olga Reyes have been practising for months to be part of the 1,500-strong choir during the papal mass on Thursday when Pope Francis visits Singapore.

The two women and Singaporean engineer Raphael Lau, who will serve as a communion minister during the mass, have taken time off work to serve as volunteers and to rehearse their roles for the first visit by a pope to the island republic in 38 years.

“It’s a dream of all Catholics to meet the pope. Because it’s just like he’s next to God,” Reyes, 52, said. “This is a once in a lifetime story that I can pass to my grandchildren that, ‘Oh, I’ve been there, I’ve seen the pope, I went to the mass. I sang for the pope.’”

Lau, 66, said the visit makes him feel really special. “It’s really a once-in-a-lifetime event for us.” Francis, 87, arrives in Singapore on Wednesday and is set to stay until Friday on the last leg of the longest trip of his papacy, despite concerns about his health.

The 12-day trip includes visits to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and East Timor.

Worshippers gather for a holy mass led by Pope Francis in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on Sunday. Photo: AFP

In Singapore, he will hold a mass for 50,000 attendees. He will also meet the city state’s leadership, visit a home for the elderly and hold an inter-religious dialogue with local youth.