The Vatican By Train: A New Kind Of Papal Visit

Panoramic (tilt-shift) view of the Vatican City and train station. Photograph: Alamy

Visitors can now combine a tour of the Vatican with a wander around the pope’s summer palace – travelling by the Pontiff’s railway. Our writer was among the first passengers on board

Things don’t come more Da Vinci Code than a ride on the Pope’s railway – the centrepiece of a new tour launched by the Vatican Museums this month. The train departs the Vatican City’s private railway station – a marble building in the shadow of St Peter’s basilica – on a stretch of track that originates in a tunnel dug into the hillside beneath the Vatican Gardens. It travels along the 300-metre Vatican railway line – the shortest in the world – into Rome, then rumbles on to the Pope’s sumptuous Castel Gandolfo summer palace in the Alban hills south of the city.

This day-long excursion combines existing tours of the Vatican Museums and gardens with a tour of the grounds of the Castel Gandolfo. And for the first time the locations are linked by a ride on the Papal railway. At €40pp, it’s also the cheapest way to explore the papal properties: a guided tour of the museums and gardens in the Vatican alone costs €32.

 People visit the gardens of the pope’s summer residence, Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome. Photograph: Vincenzo Pinto/AFP/Getty Images

I joined the tour on its inaugural Saturday, my pre-booked ticket letting me dodge the queue that, at 8am, already snaked around the walls of the Vatican City. The first two hours are unchaperoned, so my recommendation would be to avoid the Sistine Chapel cattle-run and visit the quiet contemporary religious art galleries, which include works by Dali and Matisse.

The guided walk through the Vatican gardens that follows is the perfect antidote to the rammed museums. It meanders between fountains and grottos, past the monastery where the retired pope, Benedict XVI, lives, and on to Stazione Vaticana, the city’s only station.

The train – ordinary Trenitalia rolling stock, sadly, not the Papal steam train – takes an hour to reach the town of Albano Laziale, where a shuttle bus takes passengers to the summer palace (a separate tour of the palace interior is available at extra cost). Tourism in the towns around the palace suffered when Pope Francis decided not to spend his summer there, and this decision to open it to the public has been interpreted as a helping hand.

 Aerial shot of the Vatican gardens from St Peter’s Basilica, Rome. Photograph: Alamy

The tour of the grounds, aboard a tiny land train, is revelatory. Formal gardens are interrupted by fields of alfalfa grazed by the cows that provide milk to the Vatican. Roman ruins – including a theatre built for the Emperor Domitian in the first century AD – jut out from behind fragrant trees.

Back in Albano Laziale, some exploration leads me to organic, vegetarian restaurant Le Bioalchimie (Via San Filippo Neri 16) for a €15 buffet lunch of local produce. The train back to Rome departs Albano Laziale at 5.18pm, depositing us at San Pietro, a station just outside the Vatican walls.

A stroll to St Peter’s Square, where high walls obscure the gardens and the Basilica hides the 60-metre Vatican hill, makes for a tantalising end to a fascinating day.
• Vatican by Train tours run on Saturdays only at 8am. Book online atbiglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do

By Liz Dodd, www.theguardian.com

---

Bless Your Stomach With These Pope-Themed Food And Drink Specials In Philadelphia

The Basilica burger at Village Whiskey (courtesy photo)




The pope craze has been all over Philadelphia for months now, and you knew at some point restaurants and bars would get involved.

From pope-themed courses to religious brews, take advantage of these holy specials.

Le Virtù(1927 E. Passyunk Ave.)
Throughout September, the Italian restaurant features a $45 prix fixe menu entitled cucina povera, or “cuisine of the poor,” honoring the pope’s loyalty to those in need of help. The meatless menu also honors St. Francis of Assisi and his devotion to animals. The restaurant hours are Monday through Thursday 5 to 10 p.m.; Friday through Saturday 5 to 10:30 p.m.; Sunday 4 to 9:30 p.m.
Brigantessa(1520 Passyunk Ave.)
The restaurant will offer a “bar-side confessional” special that includes discounted prices on Peroni and Italian craft brews. Additionally, the kitchen will serve “pope’s hat pasta” – a dish including sheep’s milk ricotta and beets. The deal is offered on Friday, Sept. 25, through Sunday, Sept. 27. The restaurant opens at 5 p.m.
Village Whiskey(118 S. 20th St.)
Throughout September, Jose Garces’s gourmet pub will offer the “Basicila” as its featured burger of the month. The sandwich includes Berkshire porchetta, tomato jam, broccoli rabe, herb pork jus aioli, sharp provolone, and egg. The restaurant is open Monday 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Tuesday through Thursday 11:30 a.m. to midnight; Friday 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m.; Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 1 a.m.; Sunday 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. 

Pope Crawl 2015(Multiple locations)
If you can’t beat the crowds, join them, with beer! Beginning at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26 thousands of people will celebrate the pope’s visit by drinking. This crawl isn’t just to party; it’s for a good cause. Proceeds from the event go toward Philabundance. Click here for more info.

Pizzeria Vetri(1939 Callowhill St.) (1615 Chancellor St.)
Throughout September, Marc Vetri’s pizza shop will serve the “Il Papa” or “pope” pie that includes black mission fig, lardo, pecorino romano, mozzarella, parmigiano, basil, and oregano. The restaurant is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Amada(217-219 Chestnut St.)
For taste of Sapin while the pope is in town, Amada will offer a “World of Families” prix fixe lunch tasting, as well as a dinner menu. Some highlights on the menu include Spanish tortilla, crab-stuffed peppers, slow roasted pork, lamb meatballs, and hanger steak. A children’s menu is offered here, too. The deal is offered Friday, Sept. 25, through Sunday, Sept. 27. Hours are Thursday to Friday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and 5 to 10 p.m.

Potbelly Sandwich Shop(1635 Market St.)
For a taste of the official pope milkshake during his visit, Potbelly will offer a shake featuring vanilla ice cream and shortbread butter cookies. Fifty cents of the proceeds goes toward planning efforts for the World Meeting of Families. The shops hours are Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Monk’s Cafe(264 S. 16th St.)
The waves of people on Saturday, Sept. 26, and Sunday, Sept. 27, can be stressful, so drink up! Monk’s Café will serve a menu list of 24 religious-themed beers. The earlier you make it to the restaurant, the better; they only have one keg of each brew. Breweries being featured include: Lost Abbey, Evil Twin, Firestone Walker, Russian River, and Avery. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. 

Joe’s Steaks + Soda Shop(1 Girard Ave.)
From Sunday, Sept. 20, through Sunday Sept. 27, chow down on Joe’s signature steaks made with chimichurri, a sauce that originates from Pope Francis’ home country, Argentina. For dessert, wash it down with a Dulce de Leche milkshake, and Argentinean treat. Joe's hours are Sunday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Thursday 11 a.m. to midnight; Friday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Distrito(3945 Chestnut St.)
If you want to stay far away from the pope crowd but still want to indulge in a special, here’s your spot! This newly designed West Philly Mexican restaurant will offer a “World of Families” three-course tasting option from Friday, Sept. 25, through Sunday, Sept. 27. On the tasting menu, expect offerings such as guacamole, corn flatbread, carnitas, and dessert. Hours of operation are Friday through Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. 

Jet Wine Bar(1525 South St.)
In recognition of the pope’s visit, Jet Wine Bar’s Global Passport Tasting Series will feature wines from Argentina. The tasting will include five samples and light snacks. The deal is offered on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 6:30 p.m.

Pub on Passyunk East (P.O.P.E)
(1501 E. Passyunk Ave.)
Of course this bar would run a special. On Tuesday, Sept. 22, the gastropub gets together all the local pope-themed beers to serve on tap. Guests of the event can either purchase one flight (Our Father), or both flights (Hail Mary). Breweries who brewed papal-themed beers are: Manyunk Brewing, Philadelphia Brewing, Crime and Punishment, Cape May Brewing, 2nd Story, Iron Hill, Vault, Flying Fish, and Saucony Creek. Tickets can be purchased here.

Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse(111 S. 17th St.)
For visitors to Philadelphia: From Monday, Sept. 21, through Saturday, Sept. 27, the Italian restaurant will offer the “Turista”, a menu that will include three courses featuring harvest vegetables, surf & turf, and dessert. The dinner is offered from 5 to 10 p.m.

City Food Tours
MANNA Building (2323 Ranstead St.)
Grab your friends and join City Food Tours as they host “Divine Dining: A Meal fit for a Pope.” Offered at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 24, this hands-on cooking event will have you whipping up miracles in the kitchen as well as teaching about the pope’s favorite food items. This limited event is offered to a small group of people, register here (if interested).

Di Bruno Bros.(1701 JFK Blvd.), (834 Chestnut St.), (1730 Chestnut St.)
At the selected locations, the meat and cheese shop will serve “The Epihany,” tenderloin beef with house-made mozzarella, roasted tomatoes, grilled romaine, and Argentinean chimichurri sauce on focaccia bread. Click here for each locations hours. 

By 

Tim Reardon

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/things_to_do/Bless-your-stomach-with-these-pope-themed-food-and-drink-specials.html#BzxetemjmLsj3piC.99

Pennsylvania's Governor Announces Launch Of Papal Visit travelers' Website

HARRISBURG, PA - Governor Tom Wolf announces that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Pennsylvania Turnpike launched a detailed travelers' website to assist people headed for the historic visit by Pope Francis to Philadelphia Sept. 26 and 27.

The site at www.papal511.com is linked both to PennDOT's 511PA site and the Turnpike's travelers' information site.

"With enthusiastic crowds expected to converge on Philadelphia, this site will offer up-to-the-minute information to assist visitors and make their experience as enjoyable as possible," said Governor Tom Wolf. "This site reflects the hard work my administration has put in supporting and preparing for the Pope's visit. We hope this site will be a useful tool for both residents and visitors to be informed and prepared to travel during this important visit."

The site's home page offers options to see information about real-time traffic conditions on highways in the Philadelphia region and details on how to reach the papal venues or take diversion routes for those who are merely traveling through or around the region. The site is accessible from both desktop and mobile interfaces.

Inside pages have health tips for visitors and information on which highways and streets are closed, the latest information releases pertaining to the visit and color coded maps showing how traffic is flowing.

"I urge visitors and through travelers to avail themselves of this resource to keep abreast of changing conditions during the visit," said PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards. "Knowing what is going on will help visitors and travelers make good decisions so their experience during this special time will be top-notch."

Turnpike Chief Executive Officer Mark Compton said that the site will be helpful for anyone traveling in southeastern counties and surrounding areas, including those not bound for Papal events.

"This website will be an indispensable tool for those who may just be passing through during the pope's visit," Compton said. "In addition to the latest traffic conditions, it details the alternate routes for anyone who may need to travel to other destinations during this historic visit of Pope Francis to Philadelphia."

Catholic Heritage Sites In Pope Host Cities: NYC, DC, Philly

(AP) — Pope Francis will visit three U.S. cities, Washington, D.C., New York and Philadelphia, Sept. 22-27. For travelers with an interest in sacred places, here are some of the top Catholic heritage sites — including several on the pope's itinerary — in those cities.

___

WASHINGTON, D.C.

St. Matthew's Cathedral, 1725 Rhode Island Ave. NW; www.stmatthewscathedral.org . Site of President John F. Kennedy's funeral Mass; on pope's itinerary.

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, 400 Michigan Ave. NE, www.nationalshrine.com . One of the largest churches in the world; on pope's itinerary. Located next to Catholic University.

Holy Trinity Church, 3513 N St. NW, http://trinity.org/ . Founded in 1792 as the city's first Catholic Church; located in Georgetown.

St. Augustine Catholic Church, 15th and V streets NW, http://saintaugustine-dc.org/ . Founded in 1858 by emancipated black Catholics.

Franciscan Monastery, 1400 Quincy St. NE, www.myfranciscan.org . Shrines, catacombs, gardens. Tours offered daily.

Saint John Paul II National Shrine, 3900 Harewood Road NE, www.jp2shrine.org . Relics, exhibit, services.

___

NEW YORK

St. Patrick's Cathedral, Fifth Avenue between 50th and 51st streets, near Rockefeller Center, www.saintpatrickscathedral.org . Seat of the New York Archdiocese. Bronze doors bear carved images of New Yorkers who have been canonized; on pope's itinerary.

Old St. Patrick's Cathedral, Mott and Prince streets, www.oldsaintpatricks.com . Cathedral opened 1815.

St. Peter's, Barclay and Church streets, http://spcolr.org/ . Located a block from the World Trade Center. Church was damaged on Sept. 11, 2001. Parish dates to the 1700s.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Shrine in Our Lady of the Rosary Church, 7 State St., near the Staten Island Ferry terminal. Seton was the first U.S.-born saint.

St. Frances Cabrini Shrine, 701 Fort Washington Ave., near 190th Street in Washington Heights, www.cabrinishrinenyc.org . Shrine honors Frances Xavier Cabrini, Italian immigrant, considered patroness of immigrants.

The Cloisters, located in Fort Tryon Park, Washington Heights, http://www.metmuseum.org/visit/visit-the-cloisters. Museum assembled from portions of Medieval European cloisters, owned by the Metropolitan Museum. Stained glass windows and tapestries showing "The Hunt of the Unicorn."

Billboard: Not a sacred spot, but a 225-foot portrait of the pope adorns building at Eighth Avenue and 34th Street, near Madison Square Garden, where the pope is scheduled to celebrate Mass.

___

PHILADELPHIA

The Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, 18th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, www.cathedralphila.org . Knotted Grotto outside the basilica, dedicated to Mary, Undoer of Knots. Seat of the Philadelphia archdiocese; on pope's itinerary.

St. John Neumann shrine, 1019 N. 5th St., www.stjohnneumann.org . Shrine honors 18th-century Philadelphia bishop credited with expanding the U.S. Catholic education system.

St. Rita of Cascia, 1166 S. Broad St., www.saintritashrine.org . Shrine began as a parish church dedicated to St. Rita — known as "saint of the impossible" and the "peacemaker" — to help welcome Italian immigrants.

Central Association of the Miraculous Medal, 475 E. Chelten Ave., http://cammonline.org/ . Dedicated to Mary. Stained glass and sculpture.

Old St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, 321 Willings Alley, www.oldstjoseph.org . Philadelphia's oldest Catholic community, founded and staffed by Jesuits.

Old St. Mary's Church, 252 S. 4th St., www.oldstmary.com . Built in 1763. Site of the first public religious commemoration of the Declaration of Independence; visited by George Washington and John Adams.

Elsewhere in Pennsylvania:

St. Katharine Drexel shrine, 1663 Bristol Pike, Bensalem, www.katharinedrexel.org. Shrine honors an heiress who spent her fortune improving the lives of African-Americans and Native Americans.

National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa, 654 Ferry Road, Doylestown, www.czestochowa.us. Polish-American Roman Catholic shrine; houses reproduction of Black Madonna icon of Czestochowa, Poland.

St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, 100 E. Wynnewood Road, Wynnewood, www.scs.edu . Founded in 1832. On pope's itinerary. (Not open to public week of pope's visit.)

___

Associated Press writer Natalie Pompilio contributed to this story.

By BETH J. HARPAZ

___

Online:

http://www.popefrancisvisit.com/

Tickets For Papal Mass And The Festival Of Families During Pope Francis' Visit To Philadelphia Available Wednesday September 9th

PHILADELPHIA --

Tickets for the papal mass and the Festival of Families during Pope Francis' visit to Philadelphia will be available Wednesday.

10,000 tickets will be made available for the Festival of Families beginning Wednesday, September 9, at 4:00 p.m.

10,000 tickets will be made available for the papal mass beginning Wednesday, September 9, at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis and individuals are limited to four tickets per person.

The Festival of Families will be held at approximately 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 26th and the papal Mass will be held on Sunday, September 27th at 4 p.m.

A link will be available at WorldMeeting2015.org/Tickets

10,000 tickets were made available on Tuesday for the pope's speech at Independence Hall starting at 12 p.m. They were claimed within two minutes.

Tickets from the giveaway were being sold on eBay within the hour, with some sellers asking upwards of $1,000. However, an eBay spokesperson told Action News that the listings were being removed because the listings violated their ticket policy.

Still, a number of listings could still be found on sites such as Craigslist.

Tickets were on a first-come, first-serve basis and individuals were limited to four tickets. The pope will speak at Independence Hall on Saturday, September 26th.

A separate set of tickets were being distributed to the 219 parishes in the Philadelphia Archdiocese, as well as surrounding parishes in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Some church social service programs will also get tickets, as will other faith communities, church officials said.

It was not known how many tickets, in total, would be issued.

A map released by the United States Secret Service showed a red zone, for ticket holders, surrounding the Philadelphia Museum of Art and extending to 20th Street.

From 20th Street and extending to City Hall is a purple zone, where no ticket will be needed.

The ticketing announcement came just a week after a new marketing campaign, "I'll Be There," was unveiled to encourage attendance at the papal events, driven in part by fears that months of discussions about tight security restrictions had scared many people away from attending.million people will attend the papal Mass.

Tickets For Pope Francis' Speech On Independence Mall Available Starting Tuesday September 8th At Noon

PHILADELPHIA --

The Philadelphia Archdiocese says tickets will be available starting today for Pope Francis' speech on Independence Mall later this month.

Beginning at 12:00 p.m. Tuesday, 10,000 tickets will be available to the public for the September 26th event.

You can claim tickets online by visiting www.worldmeeting2015.org/tickets

Tickets are on a first-come, first-serve basis and individuals are limited to four tickets.

Specific ticketing information has yet to be released for two other events, the Festival of Families and Pope Francis' Mass on the Ben Franklin Parkway. We do know those tickets will be made available on Wednesday, September 9th.

A total of 30,000 tickets will be made available for the public events.

The tickets will be divided up as follows:

For Pope Francis' speech at 12 p.m. Saturday, September 26th on Independence Mall, the total number of tickets available to the public has been increased from 5,000 to 10,000. The tickets will be available to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis on Tuesday, September 8th.

For the Festival of Families on Saturday, September 26th, 10,000 tickets will be made available on a first-come, first-serve basis on Wednesday, September 9th. The Festival of Families event begins at approximately 12:00 p.m.

For the papal Mass at 4 p.m. on Sunday, September 27th, an additional 10,000 tickets are being made available. The tickets will also be available to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis on Wednesday, September 9th.

The announcement about the need for tickets came as something of a surprise on Wednesday. When we asked on Thursday what changed, the executive director of the World Meeting of Families, Donna Crilley Farrell said:

"We had always predicated some limited ticketing, and as we worked through security arrangements and plans were being made final, we knew how the Parkway was going to be laid out. For security reasons and crowd management, we have ticketed areas."

When asked how tickets make the event safer, Farrell said "You'd have to talk to a crowd management expert about that, but in certain areas you don't want huge crowds. You have to be able to limit the number of people in crowds."

Tickets are also being distributed to the 219 parishes in the Philadelphia Archdiocese, as well as surrounding parishes in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Some church social service programs will also get tickets, as will other faith communities, church officials said.

It was not known how many tickets, in total, would be issued.

"We're not going to release the specific numbers for ticketing," Farrell said.

A map released on Wednesday by the United States Secret Service showed a red zone, for ticket holders, surrounding the Philadelphia Museum of Art and extending to 20th Street.

From 20th Street and extending to City Hall is a purple zone, where no ticket will be needed.

The ticketing announcement comes just a week after a new marketing campaign, "I'll Be There," was unveiled to encourage attendance at the papal events, driven in part by fears that months of discussions about tight security restrictions had scared many people away from attending.

Sales of hotel rooms remain slower that expected. There have been price cuts showing up, but still about a one-third of the rooms in Center City remain unsold.

"There is a sense of urgency but there's not panic yet for the weekend. There's still plenty of time to book those rooms," said Ed Grose of the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association.

Rail pass sales remain flat and organizers confirmed charter bus registrations were at least 70 percent below expectations.

However, Farrell said she does not believe there will be fewer than the 1.5 million visitors who are expected, saying "I really don't think so, again, based on the calls we get."

Church officials have estimated that as many as 1.5 million people will attend the papal Mass.