2015 visit by Pope Francis to North America

{{Short description|Papal and state visit by Pope Francis to Cuba and the United States in 2015}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}

{{Infobox event

| title = Apostolic Journey to Cuba, the United States of America and the United Nations

| image = Pope Francis and President Obama.jpg

| image_size = 250px

| caption = Pope Francis and President Barack Obama walk along the East Wing Colonnade

| native_name =

| native_name_lang =

| english_name =

| date = 19–27 September 2015

| time =

| venue = For the venues, see venues

| place = Cuba:
Havana
Holguín
Santiago de Cuba
United States:
Washington, D.C.
New York City
United Nations
Philadelphia

| cause = 2015 World Meeting of Families

| organisers =

{{plainlist|

}}

| theme = "Love Is Our Mission"

| website = [http://www.usccb.org/about/leadership/holy-see/francis/papal-visit-2015/ USCCB Papal Visit 2015]

}}

Pope Francis visited North America—Cuba and the United States—from 19 to 27 September 2015.{{cite web|title = Viaggio Apostolico del Santo Padre a Cuba, negli Stati Uniti d'America e Visita alla Sede dell'Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite (19–28 settembre 2015) {{!}} Francesco|url =https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/it/travels/2015/outside/documents/papa-francesco-cuba-usa-onu-2015.html|website = w2.vatican.va|access-date = 16 September 2015}}{{cite news | title = A guide to seeing the pope in Philadelphia on the last weekend in September | agency = Associated Press | work = Fox News | date = 16 September 2015 | access-date = 16 September 2015 | url = https://www.foxnews.com/us/a-guide-to-seeing-the-pope-in-philadelphia-on-the-last-weekend-in-september/ }} It was his first state visit to both Cuba and the U.S.,{{Cite magazine | title = Inside the Pope's Fight with U.S. Conservatives | last = Binelli | first = Mark | magazine = Rolling Stone | date = 10 September 2015 | access-date = 20 September 2015 | url = https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/pope-francis-american-crusade-20150910 }} as well as the third official papal visit to Cuba and the seventh to the United States since the U.S. established full diplomatic relations with the Holy See in 1984.{{cite web | title = Schedule: 2015 Apostolic Journey of Pope Francis to the United States of America | work = United States Conference of Catholic Bishops | date = 30 June 2015 | access-date = 9 September 2015 | url = http://www.usccb.org/about/leadership/holy-see/francis/papal-visit-2015/2015-papal-visit-schedule.cfm }}{{cite news|title = Pope Francis Philadelphia Mass tickets go in 30 seconds - CNN.com|url = http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/09/world/pope-philadelphia-mass/index.html|website = CNN|access-date = 16 September 2015}}{{Cite news |title = Pope Francis expert: Papal panic nothing new|last = Terruso|first = Julia|work = Philly.com|date = 1 September 2015|access-date = 20 September 2015|url = http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/real-time/Pope-Francis-expert-All-will-be-well.html}}{{Cite news|title = Pope Francis' Visit to U.S. Is His First Ever, for Several Reasons|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/06/us/pope-francis-is-coming-to-america-after-avoiding-it-for-78-years.html|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 5 September 2015|access-date = 16 September 2015|issn = 0362-4331|first = Laurie|last = Goodstein}}

The published itinerary from the Vatican described the trip: "Apostolic Journey of His Holiness Pope Francis to Cuba and the United States of America, and Visit to the United Nations Organization Headquarters, on the occasion of his participation at the Eighth World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia."{{cite web|date=2015|url=https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/travels/2015/outside/documents/papa-francesco-cuba-usa-onu-2015.html|title=Apostolic Journey of His Holiness Pope Francis to Cuba, the United States of America and Visit to the United Nations Organization Headquarters on the Occasion of His Participation at the Eighth World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia (19–28 September 2015)|publisher=Vatican.va|access-date=29 September 2015}}

Visit

=Cuba=

The pope's visit began with a tour of Cuba – the third by a reigning Pope (after Pope John Paul II's 1998 visit, and the subsequent visit in 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI) – where he visited Havana, Holguín, and Santiago de Cuba.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2015/sep/21/pope-francis-in-cuba-pontiff-to-hold-mass-in-holguins-revolution-square-live|title=Pope Francis in Cuba: pontiff arrives in Santiago – as it happened|date=22 September 2015|work=Guardian|access-date=23 September 2015}}

==19 September (Havana)==

  • 10:15 a.m. – Departure from Rome to Havana
  • 4:05 p.m. – Arrival Ceremony at Havana airport and speech

==20 September (Havana)==

  • 9:00 a.m. – Mass in Havana's Plaza de la Revolución with homily; recitation of the Angelus
  • 4:00 p.m. – Courtesy visit with Raúl Castro in Plaza de la Revolución
  • 5:15 p.m. – Celebration of Vespers with priests, religious, and seminarians in the Havana cathedral, with homily
  • 6:30 p.m. – Greeting to young people at the Father Felix Varela cultural center in Havana

==21 September (Holguín, Santiago de Cuba, El Cobre)==

==22 September (El Cobre, Santiago de Cuba)==

  • 8:00 a.m. – Mass in the Minor Basilica of the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre with homily
  • 11:00 a.m. – Meeting with families in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Assumption in Santiago de Cuba with speech; blessing of the city
  • 12:15 p.m. – Farewell ceremony at Santiago de Cuba's International Airport
  • 12:30 p.m. – Departure for Washington, D.C.{{cite web |url=http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2015/06/30/full-schedule-of-popes-visit-to-cuba-and-the-us-released/ |title=Full schedule of Pope's visit to Cuba and the US released |publisher=CatholicHerald.co.uk |date=30 June 2015 |access-date=30 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923135821/http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2015/06/30/full-schedule-of-popes-visit-to-cuba-and-the-us-released/ |archive-date=23 September 2015 |url-status=dead }}

=United States=

The visit to the United States consisted of three cities: Washington, D.C., New York City (including his visit to the United Nations), and Philadelphia which hosted the World Meeting of Families. Tickets to attend public events with the pope were hard to obtain or sold out very quickly.{{cite news|title = Pope Francis schedule for Cuba and U.S. trips - CNN.com|url = http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/11/world/pope-francis-schedule-cuba-u-s-/index.html|website = CNN|access-date = 16 September 2015}}{{Cite news|title = Pope Francis' Schedule for His U.S. Visit|url = https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/08/28/us/papal-visit-schedule.html|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 5 September 2015|access-date = 16 September 2015|issn = 0362-4331}}{{Cite news|title = To Glimpse Pope Francis, Ticket or Patience Is Required|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/11/us/pope-francis-united-states-tickets.html|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 10 September 2015|access-date = 16 September 2015|issn = 0362-4331|first = Vivian|last = Yee}}

During his visit, it was announced that he would be releasing a rock album titled Wake Up! in November 2015.{{cite magazine|last1=Kreps|first1=Daniel|title=Pope Francis to Release Pop-Rock Album 'Wake Up!'|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/pope-francis-to-release-pop-rock-album-wake-up-20150925|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=25 September 2015|date=25 September 2015}}

==22 September (Washington, D.C.)==

  • 4:00 p.m. – Arrival from Cuba at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, outside Washington, D.C.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2015/sep/22/pope-francis-journeys-to-washington-dc-to-begin-historic-us-visit-live-updates|title=Pope Francis touches down in the US – as it happened|date=23 September 2015|work=Guardian|access-date=23 September 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2015/09/22/politics/pope-francis-us-visit-updates/|title= Pope Francis arrives in U.S. for historic visit|date=22 September 2015|work=CNN|access-date=23 September 2015}}

==23 September (Washington, D.C.)==

  • 9:15 a.m. – The White House – welcome ceremony and meeting with President Barack Obama. The pope spoke to a crowd of more than 11,000 people on the White House South Lawn.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/24/us/politics/pope-francis-obama-white-house.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=a-lede-package-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0|title= Pope Francis, in White House Ceremony, Praises Obama's Action on Climate Change|date=23 September 2015|work=New York Times|access-date=23 September 2015}} It was the third visit by a pope to the White House, following meetings in October 1979 between Jimmy Carter and Pope John Paul II and in April 2008 between George W. Bush and Pope Benedict XVI.{{cite web | title = 50 Years Of Pope Visits To The United States | author = Antonia Blumberg | work = The Huffington Post | date = 19 August 2015 | access-date = 9 September 2015 | url = http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pope-visits-united-states_55d3720be4b07addcb44403c }}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2015/sep/23/pope-francis-in-washington-dc-live-coverage|title= Pope Francis calls for climate change action in White House speech – live|date=23 September 2015|work=Guardian|access-date=23 September 2015}}
  • 11:30 a.m. – Cathedral of St. Matthew the ApostleMidday Prayer with the bishops of the United States{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34337942|title= Pope Francis urges action on climate change on visit to US|date=23 September 2015|work=BBC News|access-date=23 September 2015}}
  • 4:15 p.m. – Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate ConceptionMass for the canonization of Junípero Serra{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34342971|title= Pope Francis makes saint of controversial Hispanic missionary|date=23 September 2015|work=BBC News|access-date=24 September 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2015/sep/23/pope-francis-in-washington-dc-live-coverage|title= Pope Francis declares Junípero Serra a saint on surprisingly political visit to DC – live|date=23 September 2015|work=Guardian|access-date=24 September 2015}}

Pope Francis met with Little Sisters of the Poor after Mass; a Vatican spokesman stated that this was a sign of his support for them in their opposition to a contraception mandate for Catholic hospitals.{{cite news|last=Pulliam |first=Sarah |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/09/23/pope-francis-meets-with-little-sisters-of-the-poor-nuns-involved-in-an-obamacare-lawsuit/ |title=Pope Francis meets with Little Sisters of the Poor, nuns involved in an Obamacare lawsuit |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=30 September 2015}}

==24 September (Washington, D.C.; New York City)==

File:Speaker Boehner announces Pope Francis in the U.S. House of Representatives.webm

  • 9:20 a.m. – United States Capitol Building – Pope Francis became the first pope to address a joint session of the United States Congress, at the invitation of House Speaker John Boehner and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, both Catholics.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/25/us/pope-francis-congress-speech.html?_r=0|title= Pope Francis, in Congress, Pleads for Unity on World's Woes|date=24 September 2015|work=New York Times|access-date=25 September 2015}}

In his speech to Congress and other dignitaries, he devoted most of the time discussing immigration, protection for persecuted religious groups including Christians, poverty, capital punishment, and climate change.{{cite news|last1=Carroll|first1=Rory|title=Pope Francis electrifies Congress with speech laying out bold vision for US|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/24/pope-francis-congress-speech|access-date=25 September 2015|work=The Guardian|date=24 September 2015}}

  • 11:15 a.m. – St. Patrick's Church in the city and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington visit[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pope-francis-skips-lunch-with-politicians-to-visit-homeless-in-washington-dc_5603f27de4b08820d91bb9c1 Pope Francis Skips Lunch With Politicians To Be With Homeless In Washington, D.C.] Huffington Post;24 September 2015 12:22 PM
  • 4:00 p.m. – Departure from Joint Base Andrews
  • 5:00 p.m. – Arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York
  • 6:45 p.m. – St. Patrick's Cathedral in ManhattanEvening Prayer/Vespers{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/24/pope-francis-new-york-st-patricks-mass|title= Pope Francis given rockstar welcome in New York to close historic day in US|date=25 September 2015|work=Guardian|access-date=25 September 2015}}

Kim Davis and her husband met briefly with Pope Francis at the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington (Embassy of the Holy See) with "several dozen" other people.{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/02/us/kim-davis-pope/ |title=Pope's meeting with Kim Davis not an endorsement, Vatican says |publisher=CNN |date=2 October 2015 |access-date=2 October 2015 |last1=Payne |first1=Ed |last2=Burke |first2=Daniel}}{{cite news |title=Kim Davis, Kentucky County Clerk, Met Pope Francis |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/30/us/county-clerk-kim-davis-who-denied-gay-couples-visited-pope.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=30 September 2015 |access-date=30 September 2015 |issn=0362-4331 |first=Laurie |last=Goodstein}}{{cite news |last1=Eversley |first1=Melanie |last2=Bacon |first2=John |title=Vatican confirms pope met with Kim Davis |date=30 September 2015 |work=USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/09/30/vatican-quiet-claim-pope-met-kim-davis/73078774/ |access-date=30 September 2015}}{{cite news |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/09/pope-francis-allegedly-met-with-kim-davis-what-does-it-mean/408166/ |title=Why Did Pope Francis Meet With Kim Davis, the Gay-Marriage-Protesting Clerk From Kentucky? |last=Green |first=Emma |date=30 September 2015 |work=The Atlantic |access-date=30 September 2015}} The Vatican issued a statement saying the Pope's meeting with Davis "should not be considered a form of support of her position in all of its particular and complex aspects."{{cite news |title=Vatican says pope met with gay couple and meeting with Kim Davis not a form of support |date=2 October 2015 |publisher=Fox News Channel |url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/vatican-says-pope-met-with-gay-couple-and-meeting-with-kim-davis-not-a-form-of-support/ |access-date=2 October 2015 |quote=The pope did not enter into the details of the situation of Mrs. Davis and his meeting with her should not be considered a form of support of her position in all of its particular and complex aspects}} According to Father Thomas Rosica, a Vatican spokesman, Davis was not invited to the nunciature, and "the meeting may have been manipulated by her and her lawyer."{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/10/02/vatican-downplays-importance-of-pope-franciss-meeting-with-kim-davis/ |title=Why no one wants to talk about how the Pope Francis-Kim Davis meeting was arranged |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=2 October 2015 |access-date=2 October 2015 |last=Boorstein |first=Michelle}}{{cite news |url=http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-pope-francis-kim-davis-meeting-20151002-story.html |title=The truth about the Kim Davis/Pope Francis meeting, according to the Vatican |work=Los Angeles Times |date=2 October 2015 |access-date=2 October 2015 |last=Kington |first=Tom}}{{Cite news|title = Kim Davis, Kentucky County Clerk, Met Pope Francis|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/30/us/county-clerk-kim-davis-who-denied-gay-couples-visited-pope.html|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 30 September 2015|access-date = 30 September 2015|issn = 0362-4331|first = Laurie|last = Goodstein}}{{cite web|last1=Eversley|first1=Melanie|last2=Bacon|first2=John|title=Vatican confirms pope met with Kim Davis|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/09/30/vatican-quiet-claim-pope-met-kim-davis/73078774/|website=usatoday.com|publisher=USA Today|access-date=30 September 2015|date=30 September 2015}}

==25 September (New York City, United Nations)==

==26 September (New York City, Philadelphia)==

==27 September (Philadelphia)==

Commemorations

Philadelphia breweries released nine special, papal-themed beers in anticipation of the visit.{{cite web|last=Szkaradnik|first=Carly|date=2015-09-11|title=Pope Beers Celebrate the Papal Visit in the Most Philly Way Possible|url=http://philly.eater.com/2015/8/19/9179453/pope-francis-beers-philadelphia-papal-visit|access-date=2017-01-24|website=eater.com|publisher=Vox Media}} The Delaware County Keystone Mint crafted a coin commemorating the pope's visit to the United States and the World Meeting of Families.{{Cite news|date=2015-09-17|title=First look at the pope coin|language=en-US|work=6abc Philadelphia|url=http://6abc.com/religion/first-look-at-the-pope-coin/989721/|access-date=2017-05-10}} Two Philadelphia radio stations introduced "pop-up stations" dedicated to extended coverage of the visit and its associated events, including WZMP-HD3's "Popecast", and WDAS's "Pope Info Radio".{{Cite web|title=Philly Gets Pop-Up Pope Station.|url=http://www.insideradio.com/free/philly-gets-pop-up-pope-station/article_bb0946b4-5bcb-11e5-be23-dbd619496adc.html|access-date=2019-08-30|website=Insideradio.com|date=15 September 2015 |language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2015-09-13|title=iHeart To Launch Philadelphia Papal Pop-Up Format|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/94529/iheart-to-launch-philadelphia-papal-pop-up-format/|access-date=2019-08-30|website=RadioInsight|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Papal Visit Prompts WDAS-A (Smooth Jazz 'JJZ)/Philadelphia To Air 'Pope Info Radio' 9/19-27|url=https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/145596/papal-visit-prompts-wdas-a-smooth-jazz-jjz-philade|access-date=2019-08-30|website=All Access|language=en}}

Swyft Media released a sticker keyboard app to commemorate the visit, Popemoji, which featured cartoon images of Pope Francis for use in messaging apps (including nods to U.S. landmarks and Philadelphia).{{Cite web|last=Bell|first=Karissa|title=Holy emoji: Pope Francis has his own GIF keyboard app|url=https://mashable.com/2015/09/10/pope-emoji-app/|access-date=2021-02-03|website=Mashable|date=10 September 2015 |language=en}}

See also

References

{{reflist|30em}}