At his death at age 93, the Philippines-born Catholic was one of the remaining witnesses to the Bataan Death March carried out by the Japanese military.
The synodal process is a path of engagement that makes room for the Holy Spirit, and not a "majority consensus like a parliament" to guide the universal church, Pope Francis said.
All Christians are invited to pray for unity and continue to journey together, said Cardinals Mario Grech, general secretary of the Synod of the Bishops, and Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.