Viva Papa!
Pope Francis is the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church, Bishop of Rome and Sovereign of Vatican City. His trip to New York City included a mass at Madison Square Garden and a huge parade in his honor. Both events drew thousands of people to line the streets in Midtown, cheering and vying for a chance to get a glimpse of him. His visit caused major transit delays and closed off many areas of Manhattan. The Pope also spoke at a meeting with the United Nations General Assembly, had lunch with the homeless, blessed the sick, held mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on the Upper East Side, visited the World Trade Center site and the children at Our Lady Queen of Angels in East Harlem.
Pope Francis is commonly referred to as the “People’s Pope” and tens of thousands of people gathered to see him in Central Park. The excitement of his visit literally shut down New York City. Flags and t-shirts with his face on them were being waved, worn and sold everywhere. Street vendors profited greatly from his visit.
The Pope proclaimed for, “Peace in our homes, our families, our schools and communities. Peace in all those places where war never seems to end. Peace for those faces which have known nothing but pain.” He has a heart of gold and aims for peace, environmental responsibility and being there for the poor and elderly.