WASHINGTON — There’s a lot of excitement ahead of Pope Francis’ visit to D.C. in September, and the Archdiocese of Washington is releasing more details about the planned public mass.
The pope is set to spend several days in D.C. during his trip to the United States. His itinerary includes a visit with President Barack Obama, a speech before Congress and a special canonization Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Northeast D.C.
“It seems like everybody in this city, everybody in this country wants to be there. Especially for that big, public mass,” Archbishop of Washington Cardinal Donald Wuerl said during a stop by the Glass Enclosed Nerve Center Wednesday morning.
The canonization Mass for Junipero Serra will be held at 4:15 p.m., Sept. 23. The event is open to the public.
“The outside area, directly in front of where the altar will be, we can set up 25,000 folding chairs. But we’re going to have standing space as well … We’re going to have jumbotrons all over the place so people will be able to watch wherever they are,” Wuerl tells WTOP.
Some tickets will be reserved for people with special needs and Spanish-speakers.
“They’re a very, very large part of the population and this pope is, of course, from Argentina. He’s going to be celebrating the mass in Spanish,” Wuerl says.
While in Washington, Pope Francis will also visit with the homeless.
“Everywhere he goes, he’s trying to keep this balance of: ‘Don’t lose your focus on the people who need all of us’,” Wuerl says.
Later in the week, the pontiff will visit a Philadelphia prison and the Sept. 11 memorial in New York.
