The Vatican on Tuesday released the schedule for Pope Francis’ trip to the United States in September, setting the date for his historic address to Congress.
He will become the first pope to address Congress on Sept. 24, according to the schedule for the 10-day trip that also will include a meeting with President Obama and stops in New York, Philadelphia and Cuba.
House Speaker John A. Boehner, who in March invited the pope to speak to Congress, said that “it is with humility and deep gratitude that we will welcome His Holiness Pope Francis to the U.S. Capitol in September for a joint meeting of Congress.”
“His visit to the U.S. Capitol is unprecedented, and it is with open ears and hearts that we will welcome his address to the Congress,” said Mr. Boehner, who is Catholic. “This will be a historic visit, and given the large public interest in Pope Francis, the U.S. Congress is making the appropriate preparations to reflect the magnitude of his visit to the Capitol and ensure his message can be heard by all Americans.”
The Pope will arrive Sept. 22 in Washington. The next day he will be welcomed on the South Lawn of the White House by Mr. Obama and then address Congress on Sept. 24, according to the Vatican.
The Pope also plans to meet with homeless people at a Washington parish, St. Patrick’s. And he will give America a new saint by canonizing the 18th-century Spanish missionary Junipero Serra at the National Shrine, the Vatican said.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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