Rendering of what the Basilica will look like for Pope Francis mass pic.twitter.com/SV2cT8NBRb
— John Aaron (@JohnAaronWTOP) September 17, 2015Current state of east portico at Basilica where Pope will celebrate mass, overlooking catholic u lawn pic.twitter.com/C41bwFwOmr
— John Aaron (@JohnAaronWTOP) September 17, 2015Altar to be used by Pope being assembled. Designed by catholic u students and built by poolesville, md man pic.twitter.com/a1e3NAS6nc
— John Aaron (@JohnAaronWTOP) September 17, 2015
WASHINGTON — With only days to go before Pope Francis celebrates Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the area looks more like a construction site or a concert venue than a church.
Workers are putting the finishing touches on everything at the basilica — located at 400 Michigan Ave. in Northeast — from the outdoor sanctuary on the East Portico of the Shrine, where Francis will celebrate Mass, to the University Mall of Catholic University of America, where 25,000 people will gather. This is first canonization Mass on U.S. soil.
The pope arrives 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 22 and leaves 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24. Pope Francis will visit the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Sept. 23.
“One of the things that’s so exciting about this is we’re actually using a church,” says Archbishop of Washington Cardinal Donald Wuerl. “We’re not improvising, we’re extending that church.”
Wuerl says extensive security barriers are going up for the Pope’s protection on the advice of the Secret Service. But Wuerl jokes, “I think it’s also to keep him from running into the crowd and greeting people.”
The preparations on the Catholic University mall include the placement of 15,000 seats, with the remainder of those attending having to stand.
Msgr. Walter Rossi, rector of the Basilica, admits there’s “an awful lot” to be done before the big event Wednesday, but confidently adds, “They tell me that by Sunday everything should be together.”
