A candy for Leo, Tagle's first act of charity to pope

Seeing then Robert Cardinal Prevost in deep thought and appearing anxious upon realizing he was to be elected pope, his seatmate Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle decided to perform his "first act of charity" for the then emerging leader of the Roman Catholic Church by offering him a piece of candy.

- By DAPHNE GALVEZ

At a press conference, Tagle recounted that when it became evident during the counting of the votes of the cardinal electors that Prevost was going to be elected, the future Leo XIV started breathing heavily.

Tagle offered Prevost a piece of candy, which he had brought inside the Sistine Chapel to munch on as he had expected proceedings to take a long time.

"Lagi ako may baong candy. Eh katabi ko nga si Cardinal Prevost.

Noong humihinga na siya ng malalim, sabi ko, 'Gusto mo ng candy?" Sabi niya, 'Sige bigyan mo ko ng isa.' Sabi ko, 'Yan ha. 'Yan ang unang act of charity ko sa bagong santo papa (I always have candy. Cardinal Prevost was sitting next to me. When I heard him breathing heavily, I asked him 'do you want some candy?' And he said, 'OK please give me one,' and I said 'that's it, that's my first act of charity for the Holy Father')," Tagle recalled with a laugh.