Meet Pope Francis At The Vatican: IfOnly and Killerspin to Offer Once-In-A-Lifetime Opportunity To Join His Holiness At World UnPlugNPlay Festival

 Shaking hands and even snapping

 a photo with Pope Francis at the

 World UnPlugNPlay Festival in

 Vatican City might seem outside

 the realm of reality. However, this

 bucket list experience is actually

 available to anyone who purchases

 a once-in-a-lifetime package

 unveiled today on experiences

 marketplace IfOnly. 

Killerspin, the world's only luxury

 table tennis experience brand,

 has partnered with IfOnly, the

 leader in one-of-a-kind

 experiences that benefit charitable causes, to create an exclusive package offering the opportunity to

 meet Pope Francis at the Vatican as part of the World UnPlugNPlay Festival August 29-31st, a

 celebration to encourage people to play table tennis with loved ones and unplug from electronic

 devices for 15 minutes a day. 

In addition to a meeting with His Holiness, the IfOnly/Killerspin Package includes table tennis

 tournaments, several exclusive gatherings including the Connect21 Ping Pong cocktail reception,

 gala dinner and panel with thought leaders discussing "digitization and humanity." In addition, the 

excursion includes private VIP tours of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and Palazzo Colonna, a two-night

 stay at a luxurious Sardinian resort and a host of limited edition memorabilia and products from Killerspin.

About World UnPlugNPlay Day

UnPlugNPlay Day on August 29, 2016 was created by Killerspin in partnership with the Italian Table

 Tennis Federation to encourage family and friends to put away their computers and mobile phones -

 unplug in order to have fun, and connect with those they love and who need their love. The event

 will launch in Vatican City attended by the Pope, along with a series of other grassroots events in

 major cities around the world.

According to Killerspin CEO Robert Blackwell Jr., the idea behind UnPlugNPlay grew out of a

 conversation he had with Pope Francis earlier this year about the growing alienation of humanity

 caused by an increasingly digitized society. As he explains, "The Pope and I spoke about how

 technology is changing the way we communicate, to the detriment of our relationships with

 others and our health. For at least this one day, we hope people will put away their devices in order to

 have fun, and connect with those they love."

IfOnly Vatican Package Details

Two packages are offered exclusively on IfOnly.com and start at $15,000. The "Vice-Chairman

 Package" for two includes a tour of the Sistine Chapel, tickets to the Connect21 Ping Pong 

Cocktail Reception and Gala Dinner, and panel discussion with thought leaders. The "Chairman"

 package can be purchased for one or two persons, starting at $25,000, and includes a meet

 and greet with Pope Francis, tickets to the Connect21 Ping Pong Cocktail Reception, Gala Dinner

 and panel discussion, a three-day, two-night stay at a world-class Sardinian resort where the

 UnPlugNPlay Table Tennis Championship will be held, as well as the Revolution SVR Bianco

 table, one of only 37 replicas of the Killerspin Table Tennis Table gifted to the Pope.

In keeping with Pope Francis' lifelong dedication to public welfare, this experience will benefit

 Best Buddies, a nonprofit dedicated to providing opportunities for people with intellectual

 and developmental disabilities.

About IfOnly

From unique everyday offerings with local experts to once-in-a-lifetime connections with

 lauded luminaries, IfOnly provides access to a curated selection of extraordinary experiences

 that benefit worthy causes around the world. IfOnly was founded in 2012 by serial entrepreneur

 Trevor Traina and is funded by Khosla Ventures, Founders Fund, AMEX Ventures, Triple Point

 Capital, and others.

Pope Francis' Fiat Used In Philadelphia Sells For $82,000

Michael and Kate Chapman, with Bishop John McIntyre, smile after the Chapmans paid $82,000 for the pope’s Fiat 500L. ELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Staff Photographer

Jessica Parks

POSTED: FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016, 9:36 PM

It's official:  A car that has carried the pope is worth four times as much as a car that has not carried the pope.
Bidding for the shiny, black Fiat 500L that carried Pope Francis around Philadelphia in September began just after 9 p.m. Friday, at the Philadelphia Auto Show's Black Tie Tailgate at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
About 100 people filled the auction room, including Mayor Jim Kenney, Lt. Gov. Mike Stack, and Bobby Hill, the 14-year-old singer who was a hit at the Festival of Families.  Before bidding began, organizers showed a video of the car and its famous passenger, to get the bidders' mouths watering.

The opening bid: $35,000.  In less than a minute it was up to $55,000.  $70,000.  $80,000.  $81,000.  The auctioneer, Max Spann, offered to throw in the cardboard cutout of Pope Francis.  That did it.

"Sold for $82K to the gentleman way in the back!"


— Brian X. McCrone (@BrianXMcCrone) January 30, 2016
After 11 minutes and 19 bidders, the winning bid went to both a local guy and a car guy:  Michael Chapman of Chapman Auto Dealers.  He says he'll put it on display at his dealership in Horsham.
The reason is obvious:  "I'm a Chrysler dealer," he says.

Bidding underway. "Historic evening of biblical proportions," Auctioneer says.

— Brian X. McCrone (@BrianXMcCrone) January 30, 2016

"You won't get a ticket in this car." Auctioneer says

— Brian X. McCrone (@BrianXMcCrone) January 30, 2016

No idea how much this Fiat 500L is going go sell for, but sticker price is about $20K. Pope-use not included. pic.twitter.com/sayBLkkBSd

— Brian X. McCrone (@BrianXMcCrone) January 30, 2016

The car retails for about $20,000 new. This one, of course, was used.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles reached out to the archdiocese in December to donate the two cars, which the Secret Service had returned to the company after the pope's visit to the World Meeting of Families in September.
Half of the proceeds from the auction will go to the Catholic Charities Appeal to help the homeless and poor. The other half will be split among Mercy Hospice, Casa Del Carmen and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's special education schools.
“What a magnificent spirit of generosity we witnessed this evening,” Auxiliary Bishop John J. McIntyre said in a statement. “This incredible outcome allows us to spread Pope Francis’ message of love and care in a concrete way by supporting the charitable works of the Archdiocese."
The second Fiat used by Francis in Philadelphia will remain on display at the auto show, which runs through Feb. 7 at the Convention Center. That car may be auctioned off later, said Archdiocese spokesman Ken Gavin.
A Harley-Davidson motorcycle briefly owned and signed by the pontiff -- a gift from a Davidson descendant -- sold for $327,000 at a Paris auction in 2014.
Staff writers Brian X. McCrone, Julia Terruso and Dana DiFilippo contributed to this report.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/real-time/Opening-bid-for-Popes-Fiat-.html#7LJMIdMazqd4DFPA.99

Pope Francis' Philadelphia Fiat To Be Auctioned Tonight, Friday January 29th

Getty Images

WYNNEWOOD, PA - SEPTEMBER 27: A Fiat 500L, the car for Pope Francis when traveling in his motorcade, sits parked outside Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, September 27, 2015 in Wynnewwod, Pennsylvania. After visiting Washington and New York City, Pope Francis concludes his tour of the U.S. with events in Philadelphia on Saturday and Sunday. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

 Here’s your chance to drive a small car with big history.

One of the famous Fiat 500Ls used by Pope Francis during his visit to Philadelphia will be auctioned to the public at the Philadelphia Auto Show Black Tie Tailgate at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Jan. 29.

The auction will be hosted by Max Spann Real Estate & Auction Co. and will allow for both in-person and remote bidding, beginning at 9:00 p.m.

The “Pope Francis’ Philly Fiat” auction will benefit select ministries and missions of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Pope Francis' Papacy

A second Fiat 500L used by Pope Francis will be on display to the public for the duration of the auto show, but the Archdiocese of Philadelphia may opt to auction the second Fiat during the Black Tie Tailgate.

"No other Auto Show in the U.S. has such a display and we are hopeful that this will drive even greater attendance in Philadelphia. An opportunity like this is truly once in a lifetime," David Kelleher, Chairman of the Philadelphia Auto Show, said in a statement.

By Deana Harley

Read more: http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Pope-Francis-Philadelphia-Fiat-to-be-Auctioned-This-Month-365914661.html#ixzz3xpQGILod
Follow us: @nbcphiladelphia on Twitter | nbcphiladelphia on Facebook

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

---

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, American Airlines, And Philadelphia International Airport Plan Special Welcome For ‘World Meeting’ Guests

            PHILADELPHIA (September 2015) – Visitors coming through Philadelphia International Airport on Monday, September 21, will receive a special welcome courtesy of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, American Airlines, and Philadelphia’s Division of Aviation.

            As they pass through the Terminal B-C Baggage Claim area from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., visitors will be presented with carnations and walking-tour maps of the city’s public gardens. The distribution will be near the PHS/PHL Welcome Garden in Baggage Claim.

            The floral giveaway is intended as a warm welcome to visitors arriving in the city for the World Meeting of Families and the visit of Pope Francis. An estimated 1.5 million visitors are expected to come to Philadelphia for the Pope’s appearances on September 26 and 27. More than 14,000 travelers are expected to arrive at the airport each day during the week leading up to the Pope’s visit.

            “We look forward to welcoming the many visitors from all over the world who will be coming through our Airport for the World Meeting of Families and the visit by Pope Francis. Providing our guests with flowers creates a positive impression and adds a thoughtful touch to their arrival in our city,” said Airport CEO Mark Gale. “I want to thank the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society for participating in our hospitality efforts during this special time.”

ABOUT PHS

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society is a nonprofit organization, founded in 1827, dedicated to creating beauty and building community through gardening, greening and learning. PHS offers programs and events for gardeners of all levels, and works with volunteers, organizations, agencies and businesses to create and maintain vibrant green spaces. Proceeds from the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show -- which was named the top event in the world by the International Festivals & Events Association -- and donations from foundations, corporations, government and individuals support PHS programs, including PHS City Harvest. For information, visit PHSonline.org.

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.

Celebrate Religious liberty At The National Museum Of American Jewish History During Papal Visit And World Meeting Of Families In Philadelphia

Family-friendly exhibition and iconic artifacts

celebrating religious liberty will be on view

Museum open late September 26

The National Museum of American Jewish History (NMAJH) is pleased to announce that it will be offering several experiences to serve those who will be visiting Philadelphia to participate in Pope Francis’s visit and the World Meeting of Families. The Museum will be open until 8 pm on Saturday, September 26 to accommodate those who attend the Pope’s historic address at Independence Hall.

“We are thrilled to be a part of this historic visit,” says Ivy Barsky, CEO and Gwen Goodman Director of NMAJH. “So much of what Pope Francis teaches is echoed in our galleries. We believe that those who are inspired by him will also be inspired by the experiences we offer at the Museum.”  Impossible to miss is the Moses Ezekiel sculpture of Religious Liberty, which stands directly in front of the Museum, reaching a hand out to Independence Mall.  The sculpture, carved from a single block of carrara marble in Rome, was commissioned by B’nai B’rith for the U.S. Centennial and dedicated in Fairmont Park in 1876, rededicated for the Bicentennial in 1976, and in 1986 moved just north of the Museum, where NMAJH used to share its space with historic Congregation Mikveh Israel. The sculpture was finally relocated, through the generous support of Daniel and Joanna Rose, to its current site in front of the Museum on the occasion of its reopening in 2010.

Inside the Museum, visitors will have a unique opportunity to view the original, iconic 1790 letter from George Washington to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island. In the letter, to which NMAJH has been proud home for the past three years, and will be for another seven, America’s first president proclaims “the government of the United States … gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance,” underscoring the new nation’s commitment to religious liberty and equality for people of all faiths. Alongside this letter will appear the letter that George Washington wrote to the Roman Catholic community (on loan to the Museum by the Archdiocese of Baltimore) to similarly assure that community of its rights as citizens.  “We believe that the presentation of these documents side by side provides a profound affirmation of the importance of religious liberty in this country, and is a tangible testament to the values Pope Francis will be addressing while speaking in front of Independence Hall, just steps from our Museum,” says Josh Perelman, Chief Curator and Director of Exhibitions and Collections at NMAJH. The documents will be on display side by side from September 22 – October 4.

For all of the families that will be in town during this time, NMAJH will be presenting family-friendly exhibition Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile and Friends. Named for one of the more than three dozen books native Philadelphian Bernard Waber wrote and illustrated, the exhibition features a broad selection of original illustration art and preliminary sketches for his now classic picture books. The whimsical characters in Waber’s books address values that will be celebrated during the World Meeting of Families, including the importance of friendship, sharing, and family. The exhibition opens August 27 and will be on view through November 1. Children 12 and under will, as always, enjoy free admission.

A self-guided tour of the core exhibition highlighting the centrality of family in Jewish American history will be provided to all visitors.

.

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile and Friends: The Art of Bernard Waber is organized by The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, Massachusetts. Support for the organization of this exhibition has been generously provided by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Lyle image: Illustration © 1969 by Bernard Waber

Major support for this exhibition at NMAJH has been provided by Hallee and David Adelman, Jen Mendel and Fred Fox, the Louis and Bessie Stein Foundation Fund #2 Audrey Merves, Trustee, and the Solomon and Sylvia Bronstein Foundation. Additional support by Lee Meyerhoff Hendler, Elaine L. Lindy, and The Rittenhouse Foundation.

                                                                               

The National Museum of American Jewish History, located on historic Independence Mall in Philadelphia, brings to life the 360-year history of Jews in America.  Tracing the stories of how Jewish immigrants became Jewish Americans, the Museum invites visitors of all backgrounds to share their own stories and reflect on how their histories and identities shape and are shaped by the American experience. An open door for all, NMAJH honors the past and contributes to a better future by sharing the power of imagination and ideas, culture and community, leadership and service, in ways that turn inspiration into action.

The National Museum of American Jewish History is located at 101 South Independence Mall East at the corner of Fifth and Market Streets in Philadelphia. Museum hours are Tuesday to Friday, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, and Saturday and Sunday 10:00 am - 5:30 pm. NMAJH is closed most Mondays, including federal holidays and some Jewish holidays. Museum admission is $12.00 for adults, $11.00 for senior citizens and youth, free for children 12 and under, Museum Members, and active military with ID. For more information, visit NMAJH.org or call 215.923.3811.

Travelore News: Pope Francis To Include Kenya In Upcoming Africa trip

Pope Francis

When Uganda some two weeks ago announced the visit by a third Pope to the country in November this year, since then speculation imminent that the papal Africa trip would be extended to Kenya as well. Both the Vatican and the Kenyan government yesterday confirmed the upcoming trip, no doubt to the delight of not just the Catholic faithful but the country’s tourism industry as well.

With US President Barack Obama heading to Nairobi to attend a global entrepreneur conference at the end of July, the visit by Pope Francis will equally bring the global spotlight back on Kenya.

Britain lifted the cursed anti-travel advisories against the Kenya coast last week, and the visit of two such high-profile visitors like Obama and Pope Francis will send a message out into the global marketplace that Kenya is safe and ready to receive tourists.

Following the exit of some of the worst anti-travel advisories language ever seen, which cost the country tens of thousands of visitors and huge revenue and job losses, the Kenya Tourism Board, whose budget was increased more than fivefold in the recently-announced budget estimates for 2015/16, can expect a major publicity boost, and free of charge, when the two high-profile visitors will be on TV screens around the world.

Regular tourism stakeholder contributors have already said that the recovery marketing campaign which is due to be launched soon, ought to build on the global fame of such visitors like Obama and the Pope and send the message out that if these two can come to Kenya, so can thousands of ordinary people.

The papal visit has been scheduled for November 18 and 19, and hundreds of Catholic faithful from the Eastern African region and beyond are also expected to make the journey to see one of the most popular Popes in recent history in person.