The city is buzzing and excitement is in the air, because in just 11 days, Pope Francis will be arriving in Philadelphia for The World Meeting Of Families. Not sure what’s going on? HerCampus has the details to keep you up to date on his holiness’s’ whereabouts during his stay in our great city. Below is a breakdown of his itinerary, which was released by the Vatican, along with some additional information you can stay informed.
What is the World Meeting of Families?
The World Meeting of Families (WMOF) is the world’s largest meeting of Catholic Families. Held every three years, it is a weeklong event that features celebrations, discussions, and workshops, emphasizing the importance of families and marriage to all of society. The events theme for this year is “Love is our mission: family fully alive.”
Saturday, September 26th:
Pope Francis will be departing from John F. Kennedy International Airport and is set to arrive in Philadelphia, PA by 9:30am
At 10:30am Pope Francis will celebrate a mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul.
Later in the day at 4:45pm Pope Francis will be speaking at Independence Hall. It is likely that he will be speaking on topics of immigration and religious freedom during his speech.
At 7:30pm, Pop Francis will be attending the Festival of Families on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway which will be hosted by Mark Wahlberg and feature musical numbers by a variety of famous artists including as Aretha Franklin.
Sunday, September 2th:
After a busy filled Saturday, Pope Francis will be starting his day early meeting the bishops at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary at 9:15am.
At 11:00 am, Pop Francis will be going to visit the Curran-Formhold Correctional Facility. Here he will be talking to inmates as well as their families.
Perhaps the most anticipated event of his stay in Philadelphia, Pope Francis will be holding the closing mass of the WMOF on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Pope Francis also will be meeting with the benefactors and organizers of the World Meeting of Families, followed by his fight back to Rome at 8pm.