Crowds throng Philippine capital as Pope visit begins

Pope Francis has begun his visit to the Philippines with a welcome ceremony at the presidential palace in Manila.

The pontiff was greeted by huge crowds as he arrived in the overwhelmingly Catholic country on Thursday.

On Friday he delivers a speech and then celebrates Mass in the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Manila.

The highlight of the papal visit will be on Sunday, when an open-air Mass is expected to attract millions of worshippers.

The pontiff says that those at the bottom on the economic ladder are the focus of his visit.

"The central nut of the message will be the poor, the poor who want to go forward, the poor who suffered from Typhoon Haiyan and are continuing to suffer the consequences," he said ahead of his arrival.

Typhoon Haiyan struck in November 2013, leaving more than 7,000 people dead or missing.

The Pope will meet survivors of the storm on Saturday in Tacloban, the worst-affected area.

Filipino Catholic devotees gather outside the Manila Cathedral as they wait to celebrate a mass with Pope Francis in Manila, Philippines, 16 January 2015
Many people have been waiting outside the cathedral in Manila for the Mass later in the day
Pope Francis waves to the crowds on arriving at the airport in Manila (15 January 2015)
Pope Francis travelled in his open-sided Popemobile from the airport into Manila on Thursday

Pope Francis's Philippines schedule

• Thursday - arrives in Manila
  
• Friday - meets President Benigno Aquino and celebrates Mass in Manila Cathedral
  
• Saturday - heads to Tacloban, to celebrate Mass and have lunch with survivors of Typhoon Haiyan. Returns to Manila that evening.
  
• Sunday - morning meeting with representatives of various religions and with young people, before celebrating Mass for up to six million people in Rizal Park
  

Dancing inmates and Jeepney "Popemobile" ready for Francis

Millions of Filipinos are expected to come out to see Pope Francis over his five-day visit. Some 80% of the nation's 100m people are Roman Catholics.

On Friday morning, Manila's streets were crowded as the Pope began his day of events.

People have already gathered at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception ahead of the Mass later in the day.

After that the pontiff will attend a prayer service in a stadium in Manila.

Security is very tight after failed attempts to kill two previous popes, with tens of thousands of soldiers and police deployed.

National holidays have been declared in the capital for the duration of the Pope's visit.