It’s Official: Pope Francis will come to Philly in Sept. 2015

Pope Francis’ first visit to the United States will make a stop in Philadelphia.

The Vatican announced today that Pope Francis will attend the World Meeting of Families, which will take place right here in Philadelphia Sept. 22-27, 2015.

Here’s what Pope Francis told Vatican Radio:

“I wish to confirm according to the wishes of the Lord, that in September of 2015, I will go to Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families,” said Pope Francis.  “Thank you for your prayers with which you accompany my service to the Church. Bless you from my heart.”

The Inquirer reports that Pope Francis is expected to be in town on the final two days of the conference, with a public mass on the Ben Franklin Parkway “likely” scheduled for Sept. 27. That event is expected to draw over “a million” people — eat your heart out, Made In America. Pope Francis is also likely to make stops in New York City and Washington D.C.

This will be the first time that the World Meeting of Families conference will be held in the United States. The conference is expected to bring in “massive” amounts of people into the city and could be a financial boon to the restaurants, hotels, museums and other service industries of the area. With East Passyunk Ave. rapidly becoming the place to eat in the city, expect reservations to be at a premium next September.

Are you excited for the Pope’s visit to Philadelphia? Were you around when Pope John Paul II visited in 1979? Drop us a comment or send us your pics from 1979!