PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A delegation of Pennsylvanians has met with Pope Francis during a public audience in St. Peter’s Square in Rome.
The group learned hours earlier that the pope would not be meeting with them privately Wednesday as they hoped.
Despite the unexplained change in plans, members of the group including Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter said they were thrilled to meet the popular pontiff.
They greeted him individually and invited him to Philadelphia next year for the Vatican-sponsored Eighth World Meeting of Families. The event is expected bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city.
Nutter presented Pope Francis with a jersey from his high school alma mater, Saint Joseph’s Prep, which is run by Jesuits - the pope’s religious order.
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