Grieving Filipinos recall special bond with Pope

MANILA, Sunday (Reuters) - When Pope John Paul visited in 1995, five million euphoric Filipinos poured towards Manila's Luneta Park to hear him celebrate mass.

On Sunday, the people of the overwhelmingly Roman Catholic Philippines mourned together and in private over his death. They spoke lovingly of a special bond with John Paul and remembered his influence on the country's return to democracy in 1986.

"I am deeply affected by this loss," said housewife Adelia Velasco after she went to an early morning mass. "This is painful for Filipinos, painful for the whole world."

While a woman at another service was so overcome she could utter only sobs, others were more philosophical.

"I am happy for him because we all know that he is now with Jesus in heaven," said churchgoer Sandra Santa Cruz.

On his first trip to the Philippines as Pope in 1981, John Paul showed solidarity with the poor masses by staying at a church residence instead of the opulent Coconut Palace built for his stay by First Lady Imelda Marcos.

During his 1995 visit, police snipers scanned the massive crowd after officials said they had foiled an assassination plot by al Qaeda militants.