Security main concern for Pope Francis' visits to the Philippines and Sri Lanka
As many as six million people expected to attend an outdoor Mass in the Philippines on Sunday
Pope Francis is this week returning to Asia for the second time in less than six months, travelling to Sri Lanka and the Philippines in coming days to underscore his concern for inter-religious dialogue, poverty and the environment.
Security will be a main issue in both countries, particularly in the Philippines, Asia's only majority Catholic country, where up to six million people are expected to attend an outdoor Mass on Sunday. Up to 40,000 police, troops and reservists will take part in what military chief General Gregorio Catapang has called the country's biggest ever security operation.
Millions to welcome Pope on trip to Philippines, Sri Lanka
When Pope John Paul visited Manila in 1995, security perimeters were breached, and he had to be taken by helicopter to a Mass site because his car could not get through the crowd of about five million people.
