Pope Francis visit: Pontiff leaves New York’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral as his long day ends

New York, the city that never sleeps, got a new reason to stay awake as Pope Francis arrived in Manhattan for a whirlwind tour that will take him from the heights of international authority at the United Nations to the World Trade Center and a school in East Harlem.

Fresh from a speech to a joint meeting of Congress, where he pushed his agenda of helping immigrants and the poor while healing the planet from the effects of climate change, Francis arrived for evening prayers at the legendary St. Patrick's Cathedral on Manhattan's storied, high-end shopping district along Fifth Avenue.

Thousands of people lined up along police barricades for a glimpse of the pontiff. Some wore Francis T-shirts, others waved Vatican flags. All praised the pope who had traveled more than 4,200 miles from the Holy See to share his message of compassion and tolerance.

"He's a very meaningful person because of his character and the way he loves people," said Grace Cordoza, 75, of Hyde Park, N.Y. "It always touched me."

Her friend, Gail Giacobbe, 67, of Basking Ridge, N,J., said she admired the example he sets for others.

"We want to emulate not only what he says but how he lives his life," Giacobbe said.

Non-Catholics joined the expectant crowd. Janie and Michael Huddleton, siblings from Birmingham, Ala., described themselves as a non-denominational Christian and an atheist, respectively.

"I wanted to be part of what New Yorkers experience," said Janie Huddleton, 27. "Nothing like this ever happens in Birmingham."

--Tina Susman and Vera Haller

Along Fifth Avenue, just south of St. Patrick's Cathedral, an audible sigh of disappointment swept through the crowd waiting for a glimpse of Pope Francis.

Word had spread that the pope had entered St. Patrick's for evening prayers without passing the thousands of spectators who had been waiting for hours, lined up five or six deep. Others peered out of upper floors of office buildings and stores lining the avenue.

But the sighting wasn't to happen. "I'm a little disappointed, but I had to be here," said Madeline Russo, 86, of Manhattan. "He is a beautiful leader who can take us out of this turmoil."

John Sterling, 40, an occupational therapist from Queens, said he thought security concerns might be higher in New York than in other cities, which was why the pope went right into the cathedral.

"I'm OK because I'm taking my mom to Philadelphia," the next leg of the pope's U.S. visit, said Sterling, a Roman Catholic. "I think this pope is a little more liberal and not afraid to voice his opinions on real issues."

Non-Catholics were among the crowd too. Janie and Michael Huddleton, siblings from Birmingham, Ala., described themselves as nondenominational Christian and atheist, respectively.

They came to try to see the pope as part of their New York experience while in town for a family wedding.

"I wanted to be part of what New Yorkers experience," said Janie, 27. "Nothing like this ever happens in Birmingham."

Pope Francis will soon arrive for evening prayers at New York's cathedral.

Here are some facts about the landmark site.

The Architecture

Neo-Gothic. The cathedral's two ornately carved spires grace Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. Inside, the sanctuary is marked by soaring arches and intricate stained-glass windows. It is undergoing a major restoration; a cleaning of its marble exterior, now a gleaming white, was completed in December.

Opened

May 25, 1879

Size:

At its transept, the cathedral measures 174 feet across and 332 feet long. The spires are 330 feet tall.

Noteworthy events

Among the many notable funerals held at the cathedral were Babe Ruth's on Aug. 19, 1948, Robert F. Kennedy's on June 8, 1968, and Andy Warhol's on April 1, 1987.

Past papal visits

Pope Paul VI in October 1965, Pope John Paul II in October 1979 and October 1995, Pope Benedict XVI in April 2008.

--Vera Haller

Pope Francis arrived in New York City to begin a whirlwind visit of 39 hours and 40 minutes that will take him from the U.N. headquarters to a school in East Harlem.

The pope's chartered American Airlines 777 landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport where he was greeted by Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio and five Roman Catholic schoolchildren.

He was whisked by helicopter to Manhattan, where he will attend evening prayers at St. Patrick's Cathedral, the seat of the head of the New York Archdiocese.

"It is a tremendous honor to welcome Pope Francis to New York state," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement. "Both in his teachings and in his travels around the globe, Pope Francis has inspired countless people to live with kindness for one another, and to reach out for and help those in need. These are ideals that are also deeply entwined in the spirit of New York, and I am honored that the Holy Father is including our state in his first visit to the United States.

"On behalf of all New Yorkers, I am proud to receive him with open arms, and I hope that his visit will be peaceful and rewarding."

--Michael Muskal

Pope Francis will be in New York City for about 39 hours, time enough to turn the city upside down. The New York Police Department has gathered the following numbers associated with the papal visit.

24,500

The number of barriers the NYPD will use. About 14,000 are owned by the department. They total 196,000 feet, or about 37 miles.

1,200

The number of traffic cones the police department will use.

409

The pieces of concrete block to be used citywide. They weigh 3,900 pounds each, totaling 818 tons.

220

The number of different motorcades in the city between the pope and dignitaries attending the United Nations General Assembly.

54

The number of miles Pope Francis will travel while he is in New York.

19

The number of barrier trucks the police department will use over the course of the pope's visit.

--Tina Susman

In the part of Queens known as "Little Argentina," people tried in vain to win their neighborhood a place on Pope Francis' schedule.

After all, they said, it's so close to Kennedy Airport, couldn't he maybe just stop by on the way in to the city?

They didn't make it into the official plans, but on Thursday, they were still hoping. Maybe Francis, born in Argentina, would pop in for a quick taste of home.

—Vera Haller

In his historic address to Congress on Thursday, Pope Francis invoked the name of this woman and three other Americans who, through "hard work and sacrifice" were able to build "a better future" and shape fundamental American values.

They are: Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr. and Thomas Merton.

Pictured above is the fourth, Dorothy Day.

-- Sarah Parvini

After reaching out to a sea of children, Pope Francis left the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington D.C., for Joint Base Andrews, where he departed on an American Airlines 777 for New York City, the second stop on his historic U.S. visit.

A crowd of well-wishers cheered as he departed.

Earlier, Francis worked the crowd of children outside the Vatican's top diplomatic mission in the nation's capital. Cellphone cameras snapped papal selfies as he moved along the line.

He is scheduled to arrive in New York around 5 p.m. and will attend a prayer service this evening at St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Pope Francis arrives in Philadelphia on Saturday. While the faithful wait for him, some of the many who have come to see him are making the rounds of the area's national shrines.

St. Rita of Cascia in South Philadelphia made it easy for visitors, offering free trolley rides from the downtown area, called Center City.

Visitors came to the shrine Thursday from Virginia, Minnesota, the Dakotas, Europe and Zimbabwe.

-- Molly Hennessy-Fiske

Pope Francis traveled to the other side of the tracks in Washington, D.C. and spoke to the homeless, telling them that Jesus, too, was born without a place to live.

"The Son of God knew what it was to start life without a roof over his head," Pope Francis said to about 400 people at St. Patrick Church, including the homeless and hungry who were eating a meal. The pope blessed the food.

Homelessness has again become a key national issue. Los Angeles recently declared an emergency to strengthen the fight in dealing with the issue. In New York City, where the pope heads next, officials have long worked to shelter those who cannot afford housing.

As he has with other concerns, Pope Francis linked a tradition of the church to a modern flaw.

"We can imagine what Joseph must have been thinking," Francis told the crowd, describing the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

"How is it that the Son of God has no home? Why are we homeless, why don't we have housing? These are questions which many of you may ask daily."

--Michael Muskal

Yesterday was a glorious day in our nation's capitol. Wonderful to pray with Pope Francis and to hear him speaking in English and in Spanish!

He began his pilgrimage by identifying with America's immigrant experience. He said: "As the son of an immigrant family, I am happy to be a guest in this country, which was largely built by such families."

A wonderful tribute to the immigrant spirit! As an immigrant's son, his father fled fascism in Italy to settle in Argentina. Francis understands that the immigrant spirit is a wellspring for economic and moral revitalization.

At the end of the day, he canonized St. Junípero Serra, a missionary and immigrant who became the founding father of California. A beautiful day for the Latino people. Our first Latino saint!

I had the privilege to be on the altar with Pope Francis and to celebrate the canonization Mass with him.

I was praying for all the people of Los Angeles, of every religion and race and culture and language. I was asking our new saint to intercede for all of us, to ask God to open our hearts to the beauty of his plan for creation so that we can be more loving, more compassionate, more merciful and forgiving.

--Archbishop José H. Gomez

Inequality

"A political society endures when it seeks, as a vocation, to satisfy common needs by stimulating the growth of all its members, especially those in situations of greater vulnerability or risk."

Immigration

"On this continent, too, thousands of persons are led to travel north in search of a better life for themselves and for their loved ones, in search of greater opportunities. Is this not what we want for our own children? We must not be taken aback by their numbers, but rather view them as persons, seeing their faces and listening to their stories, trying to respond as best we can to their situation."

Death penalty

"Recently my brother bishops here in the United States renewed their call for the abolition of the death penalty. Not only do I support them, but I also offer encouragement to all those who are convinced that a just and necessary punishment must never exclude the dimension of hope and the goal of rehabilitation."

After challenging Washington's elites in a joint meeting of Congress, Francis offered comfort to some of the city's neediest.

He spoke to homeless people at St. Patrick Parish and pressed into a crowd at Catholic Charities, where people surrounded him and took selfies after he offered a blessing before their lunch.

He called on the faithful to solve the problem of homelessness, declaring: "Let me be clear: There can be no social or moral justification, no justification whatsoever, for lack of housing."

Late in the day he was leaving for New York for more prayer services and a speech to the United Nations.

--Associated Press

Intending to bring words of encouragement to a divided Congress, Pope Francis made a spirited case Thursday for the goodness of politics, drawing on church teachings and landmark moments in U.S. history to nudge lawmakers toward a more inspired professional pursuit.

The pope used his moral authority to weigh in on a variety of U.S. political controversies, including immigration, income inequality, the death penalty and the environment.

Francis said his speech was for the entire nation, especially common workers and the elderly, and he urged legislators not to ignore the dispossessed.

"A political society endures when it seeks, as a vocation, to satisfy common needs by stimulating the growth of all its members, especially those in situations of greater vulnerability or risk," he said.

The pope challenged Congress to act with compassion in dealing with migrants from south of the border.

-- Michael A. Memoli

-- Lisa Mascaro

Several members of Congress, including Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.), were tweeting photos from the House floor this morning in violation of protocol. Lawmakers are forbidden from doing this except during the brief period of time a new Congress is sworn in every two years.

-- Christina Bellantoni

More than 9 in 10 members of the House and Senate are Christian and about 57% are Protestant, which is about the same as in the 113th Congress, according to the Pew Research Center. About one-third of members are Catholic, the same as in the previous Congress.

-- Sarah Parvini

Intending to bring words of encouragement to a divided Congress, Pope Francis made a spirited case Thursday for the goodness of politics, drawing on church teachings and landmark moments in U.S. history to nudge lawmakers toward a more inspired professional pursuit.

The address before a joint meeting of Congress was a historic first for a leader of the Catholic Church, and the soft-spoken pontiff arrived at a House chamber where the partisan split was on full display, with Vice President Joe Biden to his one side and House Speaker John A. Boehner on the other.

Francis sought to balance his views for a politically divided audience, discussing the importance of life and family in a way that appealed to Republicans, while leaning more heavily into the issues of immigration, climate change and income inequality that have made him popular with Democrats. He called for an end to the death penalty.

He invoked historical lessons from American icons Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, appealing to a sense of American exceptionalism that resonated with lawmakers.

"You are called to defend and preserve the dignity of your fellow citizens in the tireless and demanding pursuit of the common good, for this is the chief aim of all politics," the pope said, speaking in English from prepared notes.

-- Michael A. Memoli

-- Lisa Mascaro

Members of Congress have been scrambling to see the pope in the Fiat who humbly visits the poor, but it's the bigwigs who are getting tickets.

Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's guest list includes billionaires, members of political dynasties, and a man who has given tens of millions to Democratic causes: Matilda Cuomo, widow of Mario Cuomo; Thomas D'Alesandro III, former mayor of Baltimore; wealthy entrepreneurs Marc and Lynne Benioff of San Francisco; Tom Steyer, the environmentalist political donor and his wife, Kat Taylor.

Pelosi's husband and the head of the Service Employees International Union are also on her list.

Others in the audience include former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich and his wife Callista, and John Calipari, the University of Kentucky basketball coach.

But don't worry, there's still a place for the little people: on the lawn. Pelosi's office said some constituents, local college students, nuns, and immigration advocates who fasted have seats on the West Front of the Capitol, where Francis is expected to appear following his remarks.

-- Noah Bierman

The thousands of people gathered here on the Capitol's West Lawn lined up during the small hours of the morning to ensure the best glimpse of the pope when he walks out to greet them from the Speaker of the House's balcony.

Many with red and blue "standing room only" tickets plopped their blankets on the ground to catch up on sleep, weaving into one another for warmth.

Spectators draped their arms over the fence and peered at the Jumbotron, hoping to catch a first look at Pope Francis.

"I came today because the pope's message of justice and peace resonates with me as well as his Jesuit values -- competence, conscience, and compassion," said José Cabrales, 37, of Watsonville, Calif.

--Mary Ann Toman-Miller

Family. It is the culminating theme of the holy father's visit to the United States when he makes his planned visit to Philadelphia this weekend, wrapping up the celebration of the Catholic World Meeting of Families.

It is this theme of family that is the tinder for excitement and anticipation in this country that has not been seen since the hope-filled message of a newly elected president in 2008.

How fitting it is that the theme of family is what gets so many people coming together from around the world with a newfound zeal. After all, what gets people more impassioned than their families? What elicits from us a greater joy than the hug of a loved one or a greater sense of gratitude than seeing a parent or child after a long time apart?

What, too, delivers such disappointment and pain than those moments where family fails us? And yet, we keep coming back to family. We all have a sense of family, whatever our history or background. Because in the end, nothing reveals the depth of our humanity more than our families.

Today, and throughout the weekend, we have the privilege to celebrate what family means to us. We dialogue about our different family values, share our family traditions, and debate the pros and cons of family life.

We kicked off this celebration with 20 people from different families converging on one home -- that of my childhood family. It was a particularly special night for me, because I was able to give my mom and dad that hug after being apart for a long time. And simultaneously I was able to give my students -- those from my Loyola family -- a glimpse of what family means to me. We ate a home cooked meal, we laughed, we sang songs, we looked at old pictures and even poked some fun at the Dean's high school scrapbook.

From one family opening its door and its heart to others, we've started a conversation that will continue throughout the weekend -- one where, hopefully, we can all get a window into each other's families and share in the joyful spirit of what it means to simply belong.

--Daniel Annarelli

It was a simple request. Someone wanted a Pope Francis doll.

You know the ones.

The bobblehead dolls that show the smiling pontiff, his right hand waving to adoring crowds and his head bobbing gently.

They're everywhere, right?

Wrong.

--Tina Susman

Streaming service Spotify is promoting a special playlist for Pope Francis' visit, with songs ranging from "Ave Maria" to Alicia Keys' "Empire State of Mind."

The company reached out to Tim O'Malley, director of the Notre Dame Center for Liturgy, for his papal playlist. There are 53 songs on the list, or about three-and-a-half hours of music.

Some of the songs are hymns and psalms, but there are also references to the places Francis is visiting: Washington, Philadelphia and New York.

Among the tunes? Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York," "Streets of Philadelphia" by Bruce Springsteen and "Motown Philly" by Boyz II Men.

-- Sarah Parvini

Here's why the Pope is addressing a joint meeting of Congress.

Each chamber of the Congress, the Senate and the House of Representatives, meets separately to do their work. But on rare and important occasions, the houses come together in either a joint session or joint meeting. The difference between the two is technical and involves parliamentary rules of order.

However, the distinction is important.

When a foreign leader visits, the House and the Senate agree to recess and meet with the other chamber. Lawmakers listen, but do no more than clap in a joint meeting.

In a joint session, however, the bodies adopt a concurrent resolution, a much more formal position. Joint sessions are typically reserved to hear an address from the President of the United States or to count presidential electoral votes as specified by the U.S. Constitution.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives usually presides over both joint sessions and meetings. The president of the Senate presides over joint sessions where the electoral votes are counted.

--Michael Muskal

6:20 a.m. Addresses joint meeting of Congress

Pope Francis will become the first pontiff to address a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress, but the visit will not be without controversy. Many conservative Republicans see the Pope as too liberal, especially on issues such as climate change.

8:15 a.m. Visits St. Patrick's Church and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington

Pope Francis will visit St. Patrick's Church in Washington D.C. and give a blessing to the clients and homeless gathered at lunchtime for the St. Maria Meals Program of the Catholic Charities for the Archdiocese of Washington.

1 p.m. Departs Joint Base Andrews for New York

2 p.m. Arrives at John F. Kennedy International Airport

3:45 p.m. Evening prayers at St. Patrick's Cathedral

Pope Francis will pray with priests, men and women religious and such dignitaries as Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio. St. Patrick's, in Midtown Manhattan, is the landmark seat of the archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York.

--Source: Catholic Conference of Bishops

Thousands of people are filling the Capitol lawn in anticipation of Pope Francis' historic address to a joint meeting of Congress.

-- Sarah Parvini