On Tuesday, September 22nd, Pope Francis traveled to the United States for the very first time in his life. On Tuesday, September 22nd, the Pope arrived in Washington D.C. at Joint Base Andrews at 4:00 P.M. and on Wednesday, September 23nd, Pope Francis attended a White House Welcoming Ceremony and personal meeting with President Barack Obama. He stayed in D.C. until Friday, September 25th and then caught a flight up to New York City where he did a multi-religious service at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, and visited the World Trade Center. At the Catholic University of America, thousands of Catholics came to watch Pope Francis make a Spanish missionary a saint when he celebrates Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Wednesday in Washington. This was the first canonization on U.S. soil.
On Saturday, he flew to Philadelphia and did a mass at Cathedral Basilica of St.’s Peter & Paul and visited Independence Hall. He stayed in Philadelphia until 8:00 P.M. on Sunday, September 27th when it was his departure time for return to Rome. It was such an amazing and miraculous experience to have Pope Francis come and visit the United States! It will be a week to remember for all of us.