House Speaker John A. Boehner said Wednesday that Pope Francis’ address to a joint meeting of Congress in September will be broadcast live to members of the public on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol and that the pope has expressed an interest in making a “brief appearance” on the West Front.
“The visit of Pope Francis to the U.S. Capitol is a historic moment for the country,” the Ohio Republican 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.”
Pope Francis’ trip will also include a meeting with President Obama at the White House and stops in Philadelphia and New York. Mr. Boehner formally invited the pope to address Congress in March 2014, and the Vatican officially accepted the invitation in February.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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