Since Pope Francis's first visit to the United States was announced last year, Washington, New York, and Philadelphia have been gearing up for a variety of scheduled events and an expected influx of people from September 22 to 27. From live broadcasts on JumboTrons and security measures to pope-theme emoji, here's what event planners should know about Pope Francis's stateside tour.
Pope Francis will address Congress. The pontiff's first stop is Washington, where he will meet with President Obama in the White House on September 23 and later participate in a parade along the Ellipse and the National Mall. On September 24, he will be the first pope to address a joint session of Congress. NPR: “[House Speaker John] Boehner extended an invitation in March for Francis to address a joint meeting of Congress, saying the pope has 'inspired millions of Americans with his pastoral manner and servant leadership, challenging all people to lead lives of mercy, forgiveness, solidarity and humble service.'” http://n.pr/1zUrFai
The pope's D.C. tour will be broadcast live on the National Mall. A massive stage and JumboTron will allow crowds to see the Catholic leader's speech before Congress—a setup normally reserved for presidential inaugurations. Politico: “‘The visit of Pope Francis to the U.S. Capitol is a historic moment for the country,’ Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said in a statement. ‘Given the unprecedented nature of his visit, Pope Francis’ address to a joint meeting of Congress will be broadcast live to members of the public on the West Front of the Capitol. In addition, Pope Francis has expressed an interest in making a brief appearance on the West Front. We look forward to welcoming Pope Francis and Americans from all walks of life to our Capitol on September 24.’” http://politi.co/1D0Qw98
Jeep will provide a Popemobile. A custom Jeep Wrangler will serve as Popemobile during his visit to the United States. It is expected to be similar to one he used in a trip to Ecuador in July and be open on the sides with a clear shield above and in front of the pope. Washington Post: “The ‘Popemobile,’ an informal term long used to designate the vehicle by which the pope travels, doesn’t necessarily refer to one specific car. Over the years, the Vatican noted, many different car models have been used in this capacity. Pope Francis has used a number of different car brands as Popemobiles during his trips: Mercedes, Toyota, Isuzu, Kia, Hyundai, Land Rover and Jeep, according to the Vatican.” http://wapo.st/1JoUezC
The pope will stop by Central Park. Pope Francis will travel through part of Central Park before his Mass at Madison Square Garden on September 25. The free, but ticketed, procession was announced by the New York City Mayor's Office, and event marketing platform Splash is handling the ticket giveaway, the R.S.V.P. site for lottery winners, and check-in.
Officials have warned of ticket scams in New York. Scammers may try to sell invalid tickets for events with Pope Francis, warned New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office. Mashable: “The governor's office said that ticket scams can include the selling of used tickets, reselling of lost or stolen tickets, online auction fraud, counterfeiting, tickets for non-existent events and fake websites. … The New York Department of State's Division of Consumer Protection urges consumers to check the validity of the ticket source, avoid links from unsolicited offers and not wire transfer money.” http://on.mash.to/1Ob9tfI
Stars including Jennifer Hudson and Harry Connick Jr. to perform before the Mass at Madison Square Garden. A star-studded lineup will perform for crowds at Madison Square Garden before Pope Francis celebrates Mass there. The New York Post: “The Archdiocese of New York announced Monday that performers including singers Harry Connick Jr. and Gloria Estefan and actress Jennifer Hudson will perform as part of a program called ‘A Journey in Faith.’ Also on board are Norm Lewis from Broadway’s ‘Phantom of the Opera,’ actress Kelli O’Hara, Martin Sheen, singer James 'D-Train' Williams and Norm Lewis.” http://bit.ly/1KaFl0S
The pope will attend a conference in Philadelphia.,The impetus for the pope’s visit is the World Meeting of Families, a gathering sponsored by the Holy See’s Pontifical Council for the Family. The event, held in Philadelphia, will close out his tour. The New York Times: “Francis’ visit to Philadelphia is expected to draw as many as a million people to a Mass on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in the heart of the city.” http://nyti.ms/1zw1SBd
The pope will only give four of his 18 speeches in English. The Vatican announced Tuesday that Pope Francis will deliver 14 of his 18 speaking engagements in his native Spanish during the United States tour. CBS News: "Two of Francis' major speeches will be in English: his remarks at the White House and speech to Congress, the first ever by a pope. Francis will also deliver English greetings to U.N. staff and benefactors in Philadelphia. But his homilies at a canonization in Washington, his big Mass in Madison Square Garden and at the Catholic Church's world family conference in Philadelphia will be in Spanish, as will his address to the U.N." http://cbsn.ws/1gpajti
The pope has his own set of emoji. One of the more whimsical preparations for Pope Francis’s visit to the United States this month is the creation of a set of pope-theme emoji. The downloadable icons show the pontiff in a variety of settings that soon may be populating social media feeds. Adweek: “Want an emoji of Pope Francis standing next to the Statue of Liberty? You got it. Posing next to the Lincoln Memorial? Done. Enjoying an nice sub sandwich? Also, weirdly, done. Commissioned by global Catholic network Aleteia.org for the ”#GoodIsWinning” campaign, the keyboard was designed to engage young people on social media as soon as the pope touches down in Washington, D.C.” http://bit.ly/1Kb5StX
A Philadelphia theater will screen the pope's favorite films. The Prince Theater will screen Pope Francis's three favorite films from September 22 to 24 for the papal visit and the World Meeting of Families. Philadelphia Business Journal: http://bit.ly/1UtyYfz
A Philadelphia hot dog joint will serve a pope-inspired menu item. Underdogs, a Center City restaurant known for its 28 varieties of hot dogs, has introduced a new menu item to celebrate the upcoming papal visit. The Pope Dog—also referred to as the FrancisFurter—consists of chorizo sausage with pickled red onions and chimichurri, inspired by Pope Francis's Argentinian background. Philadelphia Business Journal: http://bit.ly/1LXRLfh
