View from White House showing The Ellipse and Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. Public domain photo courtesy of Library of Congress
WASHINGTON (RNS) Pope Francis will take a spin around the National Mall and the Ellipse, the 52-acre park south of the White House, immediately following his Sept. 23 visit with President Obama.
The Archdiocese of Washington announced the outdoor event on Thursday (Sept. 10).
It will be the only venue where the general public in the Washington area will get a glimpse of the highly popular pontiff, who will visit the U.S. Sept. 22-27.
While no tickets will be required, there will be a security perimeter around the area, said Jane Belford, a member of the papal visit planning committee for the Archdiocese of Washington.
People who want to see the pope roll past in a Jeep Wrangler popemobile will have to check in and be screened by security. The security process will open from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. on the day of the visit, Sept. 23.
Several jumbo-screen monitors will be posted on the mall to allow people to watch the pope’s trips up close.
The popemobile tour is expected between 9:30 and 11 a.m.
YS END GROSSMAN
