History Of Papal Visits To New York City
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- It took 20 centuries for a pope to set foot in the United States, and since then New York City has become a popular stop for papal visits.
"Greetings to you, America," said Pope Paul VI as he arrived at Kennedy Airport 50 years ago in October 1965.
50 Years Of Pope Visits To NYC
According to the New York Times, 18,000 police officers stood guard on his 25-mile route through New York.
During his trip, the pope met with then-President Lyndon Johnson, addressed the United Nations, visited St. Patrick's Cathedral, celebrated Mass at Yankee Stadium and visited the Vatican Exhibit at the New York World's Fair.
Fourteen years later, Pope John Paul II marveled at the metropolis during Mass at Madison Square Garden and in the South Bronx his message was "do not abandon yourselves to despair."
He returned in 1995, celebrating Mass on the Great Lawn in Central Park, where 125,000 people gathered in the mud and under gray skies.
In 2008, Pope Benedict XVI held Mass at a standing room only Yankee Stadium and prayed at ground zero.
Next up is Pope Francis, who will visit New York City later this month.
He will arrive at Kennedy Airport from Washington, D.C. on Sept. 24 and attend evening prayer at St. Patrick's Cathedral. The next day, he will address the United Nations General Assembly, host an interfaith service at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, visit a school in East Harlem, take a motorcade through Central Park and celebrate Mass at Madison Square Garden.
He will depart for Philadelphia on the morning of Sept. 26. For a complete schedule of the pope's upcoming visit, click here.
