Who wants to see the Pope Francis next week? Or avoid the traffic he will for sure bring along with him? Either way here's a guide to his whereabouts once he arrives in the United States on Sept. 22. and makes his way through D.C, New York City, and Philadelphia.
Itinerary, Schedule & Dates
First he'll be heading to Washington, D.C. to hang with the leader of the free world, Barack Obama - because power players come first. At 4 p.m. President Obama will greet Pope Francis at Joint Base Andrews.
On Wednesday the 23rd, Pope Francis and President Obama will go for round deux as the Obama's will host the major Catholic figure at the White House at 9:15 a.m.
After bagels and eggs, the pope will lead a prayer at the St. Matthew's Cathedral with U.S. bishops at 11:15 a.m.
At 4:15pm, the pope will hold a canonization Mass in Spanish for 25,000 ticket holders at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. It is the first-ever canonization mass on U.S. soil. According to PopeFrancisVisits.com the event is primarily for the Hispanic Catholic community. Tickets can be accessed at local parishes in the area. Without a ticket, the mass can still be witnessed on jumbotrons placed around the city.
On the 24th at 10 a.m. Congress will host Pope Francis in a joint session. This will be the first time ever he will address Congress. The meeting will be broadcast live on the Capitol's West Front.
11 a.m. will be a brief appearance on the West Front of Capitol followed by a stop at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in D.C. and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington at 11:15 a.m. He will then depart for the Big Apple.
New York City
Upon landing in NYC at 5 p.m. he will make his way to an evening prayer at St. Patrick's Cathedral, beginning at 6:45 p.m.
On Friday the 25th, Pope Francis will be up bright and early to meet with the United Nations General Assembly at 8:30 a.m. He will hold a multireligious service at the 9/11 Memorial Museum at 11:30 a.m. At 4 p.m. the pope will head to East Harlem to visit Our Lady Queen of Angels School in East Harlem. At 5 p.m., like a boss, he will lead a procession of 80,000 through Central Park. 80,000 tickets were already distributed by a city lottery. His last stop will be at Madison Square Garden at 6 p.m. to lead mass. The chair he will sit on was built by mostly immigrant day laborers. Young men at Lincoln Hall Boys Haven in Lincolndale built the altar, according to USA Today.
Philadelphia
The next morning, Pope Francis will jet set out of John F. Kennedy International Airport to land in Philadelphia International Airport at 9:30am on the 26th.
10:30am he will lead mass at Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. At 4:45pm Pope Francis will get a bit more sight-seeing in as he visits the historic Independence Mall - home to the Liberty Bell, and Independence Hall, which is where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were signed. 7:30pm the pop will stop holds a prayer vigil with the World Meeting of Families at the Festival of Families on Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Sunday the 27th will consist of a papal meeting with Bishops at St. Martin's Chapel, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary at 9:15 a.m followed by a visit to Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility at 11 a.m. In the early afternoon, Pope Francis will hold Papal Mass for World Meeting of Families at 4 p.m. Later in the evening, the pope will visit with organizers, volunteers and benefactors of the World Meeting of Families at Atlantic Aviation before departing for Rome at 8 p.m.
For more information on Pope Francis' east coast tour visit PopeFrancisVisit.com.