Papal 2015 Visit to the United States - Schedule

On Tuesday, September 23rd, 2015, Pope Francis arrived in Washington, D.C.
Below is the schedule of the Pope's visit in the U.S.

Wednesday, Sept. 23 (Washington D.C., United States of America)
-- 9:15 a.m. Pope Francis Welcoming Ceremony on South Lawn of White House. Speech by Pope Francis, followed by meeting with United States President Barrack Obama.
-- 11:30 a.m. Pope Francis leads a prayer and meets with U.S. bishops in Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle. Speech by Pope Francis.
-- 4:15 p.m. Pope Francis celebrates Mass & Canonization Ceremony of Blessed Junipero Serra in Basilica of National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Homily by Pope Francis.  He says the mass n Spanish for 25,000 ticket holders.  This is the first-ever canonization Mass on United States soil.

Thursday, Sept. 24 (Washington, D.C. to New York City, New York)
-- 9:20 a.m. The Senate and House welcome the pope in a joint session.  Pope Francis meets with United States Congress. Pope Francis makes his first-ever address (speech) to Congress, which will be broadcast live on the Capitol's West Front.  This speech will be one of four he will hold in English.  The remaining 14 speeches he will give on his visit to the United States will be in Spanish.

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-- 11:15 a.m. The pope makes a stop on the Capitol's West Front, which overlooks the National Mall.   Pope Francis then visits Saint Patrick's Catholic Church where the church and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese host Pope Francis.  Only 60 parishoners culled from a lottery of church volunteers and about 250 clients and volunteers from Catholic Charities will be allowed in during the pope's visit.  Catholic Charities St. Maria's Meals, which offers 3 weekly food programs in the Washington area, plans to have 55 tables set up for poor and homeless to be served lunch as the pope blesses the food and walks through and meets with the homeless and poor. Greeting by Pope Francis.
-- 4 p.m. Pope Francis departs from Washington, D.C. by air via Joint Base Andrews for New York.
-- 5 p.m. Pope Francis arrives at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport.
-- 6:45 p.m. Pope Francis attends an evening Celebration of Vespers with priests, men & women religious in Saint Patrick's Cathedral. Homily by Pope Francis.

 
Friday, Sept. 25 (New York, New York)
-- 8:30 a.m. Pope Francis meets with the United Nations General Assembly at the Headquarters of United Nations. It is the 70th anniversary of the United Nations.  Greeting & speech by Pope Francis.
-- 11:30 a.m. Pope Francis attends a multireligious (interreligious) meeting at the Ground Zero 9/11 Memorial Museum. Speech by Pope Francis.
-- 4 p.m. Pope Francis visits Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Elementary School in East Harlem & meets with children & immigrant families. Speech by Pope Francis.
-- 5:00 p.m.  The pope leads a procession through Central Park.  About 80,000 tickets were awarded by the city in a lottery pick.
-- 6 p.m. Pope Francis celebrates Mass at Madison Square Garden. Homily by Pope Francis. The chair the pope will sit on was built mostly by immigrant day laborers.  Young men at the Lincoln Hall Boys Haven in Lincolndale built the altar.  

Saturday, Sept. 26 (New York to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
-- 8:40 a.m. Pope Francis departs New York City from the John F. Kennedy International Airport by air to Philadelphia.
-- 9:30 a.m. Pope Francis arrives at Atlantic Aviation at Philadelphia's International Airport.
-- 10:30 a.m. Pope Francis celebrates Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul with Pennsylvania's bishops, priests, men & women religious. Homily by Pope Francis.
-- 4:45 p.m. Pope Francis visits Independence Mall -- the birthplace of American democracy.  This historic area of Philadelphia is home to the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were signed.  The pope then attends a Meeting for Religious Liberty with Hispanic community & immigrants at Philadelphia's Independence Mall. Speech by Pope Francis.

7:30 p.m. — Pope Francis stops by Festival of Families and Prayer Vigil at Philadelphia's Benjamin Franklin Parkway and holds a prayer vigil with World Meeting of Families — the largest meeting of Catholic families held every 3 years.  Speech by Pope Francis.  Singer Arethra Franklin will perform for the pope as well as Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, Colombian singer/songwriter Juanes, Philadelphia Orchestra, The Fray, comedian Jim Gaffigan and Mark Wahlberg — who will host event. 


Sunday, Sept. 27 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
-- 9:15 a.m. Pope Francis meets with bishops participating in World Meeting of Families at Saint Martin's Chapel of Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood -- right outside of Philadelphia. Speech by Pope Francis.
-- 11 a.m. Pope Francis visits prisoners at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility. Speech by Pope Francis.   Inmates at a neighboring prison — the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center — built the chair that the pope will sit on.
-- 4 p.m. Pope Francis celebrates a Closing Mass with the VIII World Meeting of Families at Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Homily by Pope Francis.
-- 7 p.m. At Atlantic Aviation at Philadelphia's International Airport, Pope Francis greets the organizing committee, volunteers and benefactors of the World Meeting of Families.   Speech by Pope Francis.

Philadelphia International Airport expects 20%-25% more passengers traveling during the pope’s visit — that’s similar to a very busy Thanksgiving holiday.

-- 7:45 p.m. Pope Francis - Farewell Ceremony.
-- 8 p.m. Pope Francis departs from Philadelphia for Rome, Italy. 

Monday, Sept. 28 (Rome, Italy)
-- 10 a.m. (4:45 a.m. Eastern). Pope Francis arrives at Rome's Ciampino airport in Rome, Italy.