Pope Francis has a busy day in New York, and it kicks off with a much-anticipated speech in front of a global audience.
From
a visit to ground zero and a school that serves the marginalized to an
arena mostly known for its rock stars and sports events, here are five
things to watch on what such be a memorable Friday:
1. What will Francis say to the United Nations?
Pope
Francis became the first Pope to address the U.S. Congress on Thursday
in an emotional speech that focused on immigration, the death penalty,
racial injustice, the weapons trade and poverty.
On Friday, he'll face the United Nations in a speech that could take a more forceful tone.
Francis
will give his remarks in Spanish, his native language. So far this
week, he's been much more prone to go off-script -- or toss his prepared
remarks as he did in Cuba -- when he is delivering them in Spanish.
And
for the first time, the flag of the Holy See will be raised in front of
the United Nations alongside the flags of the 193 official member
states.
2. Praying at ground zero
Francis
will visit scarred and sacred ground in New York City later on
Thursday, holding an interfaith prayer service with Muslims, Jews,
Christians, Sikhs and Hindus.
The Pope's prayerful visit, Imam Sayyid M. Syeed told Religion News Service: "Is even more important for Muslims than it is for Catholics."
Francis will then meet with family members of victims who were killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
3. Central Park
Blink and you may miss him. Don't have tickets, and you will definitely miss him -- unless you tune into CNN, that is.
In place of the famed, horse-drawn carriages, Francis will take a quick spin through Central Park in the popemobile.
This being New York, scalpers are already pricing tickets at $100.
4. The Pope's favorite school?
Pope Francis will be the first Pontiff to visit Our Lady Queen of Angels School in East Harlem on Friday.
The
stop at Our Lady Queen of Angels School, which serves 295 mostly Latino
and black children, is in line with Francis' mission of serving
immigrants, the marginalized and the poor.
The
Pope is scheduled to meet two dozen students from four Catholic
elementary schools, including six third- and fourth-graders from Our
Lady Queen of Angels.
Francis also will meet migrants and refugees from Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Honduras, India, Pakistan and Africa.
They
will include day laborers, immigrant mothers, car wash workers and
unaccompanied minors who crossed the border without their parents and
helped start a soccer league in the Bronx.
"This is his most important stop," Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, executive director of Catholic Charities.
5. A rock star setting
Francis has already received a rock star welcome, and on Friday night, he'll find himself in a rock star setting.
Francis
is slated to celebrate Mass in Madison Square Garden, home to sporting
events, concerts and other shows. MSG is the fourth-busiest music arena
in the world based on ticket sales, and it can hold 20,000 people.
Francis' visit bumped a Billy Joel concert originally slated for Friday night to Saturday.
The Pope's opening acts are pretty good, too: Jennifer Hudson, Harry Connick Jr. and Gloria Estefan.
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