Mayor Bill de Blasio confirmed Monday that Pope Francis will visit New York City this September.
In a statement, de Blasio said, "New York City will be excited and delighted to host Pope Francis during his visit to the United States this September. I was proud to extend an invitation for His Holiness to visit New York when I met with Cardinal Parolin during our visit to the Vatican last year, and the Pope should know New York will welcome him with open arms. Pope Francis is the leading global voice on issues of social justice and income inequality, and New Yorkers from all backgrounds will be tremendously humbled and honored to hear his message right here in our city later this year."
The independent website Catholic News Agency says it has been told by a member of the tour organizing committee that the Pope would arrive in Washington on September 22 and visit the the White house, then celebrate mass at Washington's Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
The CNA report says the pope would leave for New York City on the afternoon of the 24th and would address the United Nations general assembly on the morning of the 25th, with heads of state also in town for the opening of the Sustainable Development Summit.
Under this plan, Pope Francis would visit St. Patrick's Cathedral. But, he most likely wouldn't celebrate mass there and would instead do it at another venue, possibly Madison Square Garden.
Pope Francis would then head to Philadelphia in the early morning of the 26th, his last stop, where he would take part in a World Meeting of Families.
The Vatican and the New York Archdiocese have not yet confirmed the proposed itinerary.