Pope visits the United States for the first time!

Pope visits the United States for the first time!

Mike Wexler, Reporter

Worldwide news erupted as Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic church in Rome, Italy, made a visit to the United States for the first time ever on September 22nd. This would be the first time that a Pope has visited the United States. Soon after the news spread, people from all over flew into Washington D.C for Francis’s arrival. Millions of his followers could not wait for the arrival of the Pope as social media blew up with excitement.

Pope Francis first arrived at the nation’s capitol, Washington D.C., Tuesday afternoon at the Joint Base Andrews where he was greeted by President Barack Obama. During the arrival, the Pope met and greeted his fans, shaking hands, giving prayers, and even taking some selfies! The next day, the White House held a welcoming ceremony for the Pope and also had a traditional Papal Parade at the Ellipse and the National Mall. After the parade, The Pope held mid-day prayer and visited local Catholic churches in D.C.

After a 3-day visit in DC, Francis then flew to the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. He started off his New York visit by attending a multi-religious service at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in honor of those who died during the attacks. Finally, the Pope would visit the famous arena in the United States, Madison Square Garden, where he held a very special mass.

The final destination for The Pope’s visit was Philadelphia, where he made a surprising visit to the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility. Pope Francis met with inmates of the correctional facility, their families, and the staff to give blessings and to talk to them. To finish off his final visit before heading back to Rome, held a Papal Mass for World Meeting of Families. Families and fans all over attended his final mass, participating in traditional rituals.

The Pope’s visit to the United States was a worldwide must-see event as history was made. Live masses, performing miracles and meeting fans were all the amazing events that took place over his 5-day journey in America. The country will never forget the time that Pope Francis made a visit to the USA.