Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle's star rises higher with Pope's visit

Pope Francis was welcomed with open arms by millions into the Catholic heartland of the Philippines last week, but his visit also served to cement the popularity of a rising star in the church - a Filipino cardinal who might one day succeed him.

A boyish-looking priest who rode the bus as a bishop and who has impressed many with his intellect, humble life and compassion for the poor, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle sings on stage, preaches on television and even spreads the gospel via Facebook.

Tagle is already well known in the Philippines, but his international profile skyrocketed last week as social-media commentators quickly drew comparisons between him and the pontiff, who were pictured chatting and hugging. At one point Tagle was even trending on Twitter.

His down-to-earth demeanour, poignant homilies and accessibility to the masses reflect many of the same qualities that have enabled Francis to dazzle the world.

Those traits and his keen knowledge of theology helped the 57-year-old archbishop of Manila nurture the faith amid a rising tide of secularism, competition from various other faiths, clergy sex-abuse scandals and other crises that have rocked the Catholic world.

When Tagle's name was mentioned in Vatican circles as among the possible successors to Pope Benedict two years ago, even the remote prospect of a Filipino pope electrified many in the heavily Catholic Philippines, which has about 76 million worshippers, and turned him into a celebrity. "He became the darling of the masses," said Cynthia Campos of the Catholic group Couples for Christ.