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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia's mayor says it's a "joyous day." Michael Nutter says the upcoming visit by Pope Francis to Philadelphia will be the largest event in the city's modern history.
The pontiff confirmed today that he will make his first papal visit to the United States with the trip to Philadelphia next September for the World Meeting of Families. It's a conference held every three years in a different city to celebrate the importance of family.
The pope is also expected to visit New York and Washington, but Vatican officials aren't yet confirming those legs of the trip. It will be the first papal visit to the United States in eight years.
Vatican officials toured Philadelphia in May. And President Barack Obama has extended an invitation, as have the U.N. secretary-general and leaders of Congress.
Last week, the Vatican's envoy to the United Nations strongly hinted that Francis would visit New York to address world leaders at the General Assembly.
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148-r-20-(Sound of Pope Francis, speaking in Italian, announcing visit to World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia in September 2015, at inter-religious conference on traditional family values)--Sound of Pope Francis announcing in Italian his visit to the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia in September, 2015. COURTESY: Vatican Broadcaster CTV ((mandatory on-air credit)) (17 Nov 2014)
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149-a-14-(Archbishop Charles Chaput (SHAP'-yoo), archdiocese of Philadelphia, in AP interview)-"in the Church"-Archbishop of Philadelphia Charles Chaput says he "applauded the loudest" of the people cheering the announcement of Pope Francis' trip to Philadelphia next year. (17 Nov 2014)
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APPHOTO OSS101: In this photo provided by the Vatican paper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Francis speaks at the World Meeting of Families, an interreligious conference on traditional family values, at the Vatican, Monday, Nov. 17, 2014. Pope Francis confirmed Monday that he will travel to the U.S. next year to participate in a rally for families in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, HO) (12 Nov 2014)
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