Coming to the USA! Pope Francis announces 2015 trip to Philadelphia

The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis will be making his first trip to the United States in September of 2015.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The Pope is going to visit Philadelphia for the World Meeting of the Families, a Catholic public event which celebrates families as the basic and all important building block of society.

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This historic trip will mark the fourth time a reigning Pontiff has visited the United States.

While in the U.S. he will hold mass on Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the broad central avenue that runs through Philadelphia, on September 27.

"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," he said during the Humanum Colloquium, a gathering of international religious leaders who met to discuss marriage and family life.

Some officials estimate that two million or more people could come to Philadelphia to see Francis.

"This will be the largest event in the city's modern history," said Philadelphia's mayor, Michael Nutter. He said that the event is a "massive undertaking" that is going to require a "tremendous amount of coordination."

"As I've said many times before, I believe that the presence of the Holy Father will bring all of us-Catholic and non-Catholic alike-together in tremendously powerful, unifying and healing ways," said the leader of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Archbishop Charles Chaput.

"We look forward to Pope Francis' arrival in Philadelphia next September and we will welcome him joyfully with open arms and prayerful hearts."

The World of the Family Meetings were first instituted in 1994 by Saint John Paul II and held in Rome. They occur every three years and is the world's largest Catholic gathering of families.

Spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Donna Farrell, said that while Francis is in Philadelphia he is also expected to attend the intercultural Festival of Families on September 26.

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