Survivors of typhoon Haiyan
gathered to pray while a priest sprinkled holy water on their ruined
homes in a ceremony marking the end of a 40-day mourning period, reports
AFP in The West Australian.
'The people here have accepted that their loved ones will not be coming back,' Father Amadeo Alvero, of the Santo Nino parish in Tacloban, told AFP after celebrating an open-air mass attended by about 100 survivors.
'However, they are having difficulty getting back on their feet because they still do not have proper homes, electricity is still down, and many have also lost their jobs. City officials have yet to find a relocation place for them.'
The Philippines is a predominantly Catholic country where it is traditional to mourn the dead for 40 days.
Residents of the parish are families of fishermen, fish vendors, and informal settlers.