Comcast Unveils ‘Eternally Rome’ Video At Center City Headquarters

(Comcast’s current headquarters building, at 17th and JFK Boulevard, in center city Philadelphia. Photo by William Thomas Cain/ Getty Images)

By Mark Abrams

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — In recognition of the visit of Pope Francis to Philadelphia next weekend, Comcast debuted a new video on Thursday which will play on its “Comcast Experience” wall inside the lobby of its Center City Headquarters.

The 13-minute presentation is titled “Eternally Rome” and was shot throughout the historic city with high-resolution cameras and drones.

It captures St. Peter’s Square and Vatican City as well as the Roman Forum, Colosseum and Pantheon.

Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput, no stranger to Rome because of his management role in the Catholic Church was impressed.

“It gives you a different kind of appreciation for the beauty of the buildings there and the way theyconnected modern reality with drawings from the past I think was very, very clever. It makes me want to go back to Rome and spend a little more time at those individual sites.”

Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts says the video is aimed at enhancing the community experience of the Francis effect.

“The chance to build on the enthusiasm for the visit for what it means to Philadelphia, the pride we have in our city. We thought, ‘Well, why not take a look at Rome, something that not many of us could ever get a vista like what that wall just showed us.”

The video will be shown hourly daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Sept. 27.

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."

Queen Of Soul To Serenade The Pope In Philadelphia At The Festival Of Families

Aretha Franklin is slated to join the lineup of artists performing for Pope Francis at the Festival of Families Saturday, Sept. 26.
The Queen of Soul will join tenor Andrea Bocelli, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Latin pop star Juanes, who was announced in June, according to sources with knowledge of the event planning.

The festival will be broadcast on TV and shown on 40 Jumbotron screens throughout the city. Free tickets nearest the stage were all reserved last week but the portion of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway from 20th Street east is unticketed and open to all.
Pope Francis is expected to attend and speak at the Festival of Families. Between performances, he will meet with six families from different continents. A smaller stage will feature cultural acts and spiritual organizations from around the region.

Sources said Franklin, 73, was confirmed for the event, though an official announcement from the World Meeting of Families wasn't expected until Monday.

Comedian Jim Gaffigan may be joining the revelry as well. Gaffigan said in a Wall Street Journal interview he would do a 20-minute set at the festival, and sources confirmed he was in talks with event producers.

Gaffigan, who is Catholic, stars in The Jim Gaffigan Show, modeled after his life as a popular stand-up comic juggling the entertainment business, five children, and a devoutly Catholic wife while living in an apartment in Lower Manhattan.

Eighteen-time Grammy Award winner Franklin was the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and was named one of Rolling Stone magazine's 100 best singers of all time.

The daughter of a preacher and a gospel singer, Franklin started singing in her father's Baptist church in Detroit and has remained a devout Christian.

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jterruso@phillynews.com

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/pope/20150914_Queen_of_Soul_to_serenade_the_pope_in_Philly.html#YcUE0E58E3olkLCE.99

Pennsylvania Convention Center To Host Exhibit Showcasing Dead Sea Scroll Fragments And 1st Edition King James Bible

Originally exhibited at the Vatican, Verbum Domini II: God’s Word Goes Out to the Nations will be on display at the Pennsylvania Convention Center Monday, September 21 – September 26. (Image courtesy World Meeting of Families 2015)

As preparations continue in anticipation of Pope Francis’ visit for the World Meeting of Families, the Pennsylvania Convention Center readies itself for Verbum Domini II: God’s Word Goes Out to the Nations, an exhibition formerly on display at the Vatican in Rome.

Verbum Domini (which translates to “the word of the Lord”), refers to a communication from Pope XVI as to how the Catholic church approaches its scripture, the Bible.

For six days, September 21-26, visitors have the opportunity to see breathtaking biblical artifacts collected from around the globe from the Museum of the Bible, a center currently under construction in Washington D.C.

Of the 40,000 objects in the private collection, 80 pieces will be on display in Philadelphia, all of which carry great religious and historical significance.

Visitors will find the free exhibit in Hall G, transformed into eight galleries with 24 display cases housing the artifacts.

The heart of the exhibition features small sections from the Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered between 1946 and 1956 in a series of caves close to Jerusalem. The scrolls consist of 981 texts with major religious importance, of which more than 220 are Biblical texts.

Additionally, the display includes five pages of the Bodmer Psalms Codex, a near complete copy of the book of Psalms in Greek dating back between third and fourth century CE as well as the manuscripts known as the Codex Climaci Rescriptus, which multispectral imaging has revealed to contain parts of more than nine manuscripts.

For many, though, the highlight of the exhibit could be the first edition of the “He” King James Bible from 1611. This version distinguishes itself from a second printing of the same year, the “She” version, in Ruth 3:15. Reading the two verses, “and he went into the citie” versus “and she went into the citie” marks the distinction between the two, the pronoun used identifying which edition.

With only about 50 known “He” versions existing in the world, this is an unlikely chance to see a very rare and sacred text.

Note, too, that this rare view of ancient texts and artifacts is just one of many papal visit-related exhibitions at museums in Philadelphia.

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Verbum Domini II: God’s Word Goes Out to the Nations​

When: September 21-26

Where: Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch Street

Cost: Free

More info: www.worldmeeting2015.org

 By Chris Malo, www.uwishunu.com

Philadelphia Welcomes The Pope And Pilgrims With Home-Inspired Food And Cultural Offerings

Familiar Foods, Dances, Games & Religious Shrines Celebrate South American & Italian Traditions

James Beard Award winner Marc Vetri’s pizzeria serves traditional, Neapolitan-style pizzas from its 8,500-pound wood-burning oven. To wash down their pies, patrons can choose from a variety of beverages on tap, including rotating beers and red and white wine, plus a selection of bottled and canned beers.

 Credit: Photo by M. Edlow for PHILADELPHIA^®

Being far from home can make even a pope yearn for a little bit of the old country. When Pope Francis visits Philadelphia this September, the pontiff can assuage homesick pangs with food, drinks and activities popular in his birth country (Argentina) and current home (Vatican City surrounded by Rome, Italy). The city’s tight-knit Italian-American community and growing Hispanic population has spurred an abundance of delectable treats, traditional family activities and familiar places of worship. And just for the month of September, Pizzeria Vetri will serve a special “Il Papa” pie just for the pope after hearing how much he loves pizza.

Here are a few places where visitors can do as the Romans—and Argentinians—do in Philadelphia:

SOUTH AMERICA

Sips & Eats:

• Touted for its complex flavors and powerhouse antioxidant properties, a cup of yerba mate (infused drink) gets special treatment at Caffeination, where baristas whip up a latte concoction of the Argentinian favorite. 2100 Chestnut Street, (215) 568-8006,caffeination.wix.com
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• Chima recreatesthe South American churrascaria experience and adds a sophisticated setting. Diners feast on rodízio (meats) served by costumed gauchos in this meat-lovers paradise. 1901 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, (215) 525-3233, chima.cc
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• Fogo de Chao celebrates the meat-centric
•  culinary tradition of South America. The churrascaria keeps the churrasco (grilled meat) and other victuals coming until diners are sated. While beef takes center stage, the menu offers plenty for seafood lovers too. 1337 Chestnut Street, (215) 636-9700, fogodechao.com
• The traditional desayuno Argentino (Argentinian breakfast) at Gavin’s Café is not only the most important meal of the day, but also one of the tastiest. The hearty meal features authentic medialunas, facturas or bizcocho (pastries). A pope on the run might opt for a quick snack of the signature empanadas or house-made alfajores (traditional confection). 2536 Pine Street, (267) 519-2494, gavinscafe.com
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• Mixto mixes it up with its “Parillada de Carne” platter, piled with churrasco Argentino,churrasco Colombiano, pork chop, Cuban chorizo, blood sausage and chicken. For a lighter meal, a simple churrasco Argentino featuring a succulent cut of outside skirt steak, vegetables and chimichurri sauce hits the spot. 1141 Pine Street, (215) 592-0363, mixtorestaurante.com
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• The Random Tea Room & Curiosity Shop serves an organic-certified, roasted Argentinian mate that delights aficionados with its full-bodied chocolate hue and hints of toffee. Available hot or iced and with or without milk and sweetener, this traditional tea-like beverage takes people on a virtual escape to Buenos Aires. 713 N. 4^th Street, 639-2442, therandomtearoom.com

Hit The Dance Floor:

• Dance Philadelphia can get anybody dancing Argentina-style. Lessons cover all skill levels, and dancers show off their moves during practicas and milangas (events with tango dancing). With two locations, fans can tango seven days a week. Buttonwood Studio, 1315 Buttonwood Street, (215) 574-9555; University City Arts League, 4226 Spruce Street, (215) 382-7811, dancephiladelphia.com
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• At the Philadelphia Argentine Tango School, the staff and internationally renowned guest instructors transform confused beginners into sought-after partners. And with weekly practicas, frequent milongas and special events, people of all levels can mix, mingle and dance. 2030 Frankford Avenue, (617) 291-3798, philadelphiatangoschool.com
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• Both a professional looking to polish technique and a beginner with two left feet can master the intricacies of the dance during lessons at Sarah Chung Tango. Or they can showcase their skills during the regular practicas and milongas. 1624 South Street, (253) 226-8331, sarahchungtango.com

ITALY

Sips & Eats:

• Creamy house-made cheeses, exotic meats, fresh produce and handmade pastas have kept shoppers returning to the open-air Italian Market for generations. One of the nation’s oldest and largest outdoor markets is more vibrant than ever thanks to new merchants selling Mexican, Vietnamese and other international cuisines. 9^th Street between Wharton and Fitzwater Streets, (215) 278-2903, italianmarketphilly.org
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• Pope Francis recently said that he misses grabbing a slice of pizza when the craving hits. Naturally, Pizzeria Vetri created a pie just for him—“Il Papa,” with fresh fig, mozzarella, lardo and pecorino—which will be available at both locations for the whole month of September.Although it might have originated in Italy, pizza is a culinary favorite in Philadelphia. Traditionalists and innovators have made the “What’s your favorite pizza shop?” question one that inspires heated debates. Best crust could be old-school Taconelli’s, a casual BYOB with a hint of neighborhood attitude, or Pizzeria Beddia, just named the country’s best pie by Bon Appétit. Tastiest toppings? Maybe Pizza Brain, which doubles as a pizza memorabilia museum,or Bufad, a corner BYOB on Spring GardenStreet. Pizzeria Vetri, 1939 Callowhill Street, (215) 600-2629; 1516 Chancellor Street, (215) 763-3760, pizzeriavetri.com; visitphilly.com/pizza
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• While South Philadelphia is the home of traditional red-gravy Italian restaurants such as Dante & Luigi’s, Ralph’s Italian Restaurant and Villa di Roma, diners craving a taste of old-world cooking can easily find lush antipasti and fresh-made pasta all over the city. The upscale cuisine at Vetri, the grandma’s-kitchen atmosphere at Little Nonna’s and the opera performances that accompany dinner at the Victor Cafe have earned loyal followings. Dante & Luigi’s, 762 S. 10^th Street, (215) 922-9501, danteandluigis.com; Ralph’s, 760 S. 9^th Street, (215) 627-6011, ralphsrestaurant.com; Villa di Roma, 936 S. 9^th Street, (215) 592-1295; Vetri, 1312 Spruce Street, (215) 732-3478, vetriristorante.com; Little Nonna’s, 1234 Locust Street, (215) 546-2100, littlenonnas.com; Victor Cafe, 1303 Dickinson Street, (215) 468-3040, victorcafe.com
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• Family-owned bakeries have been satisfying Philadelphians’ cravings for authentic Italian breads and pastries for generations. To add the finishing touches to family dinners, many locals arrive early for small-batch crusty breads from Sarcone’s Bakery; crispy, ricotta-filled cannoli from Isgro’s; pignoli pastries from Termini Bros.; or the signature cannoli-donut hybrid “franolli” at Frangelli’s Bakery. Sarcone’s, 758 S. 9^th Street, (215) 922-0445, sarconesbakery.com; Isgro’s, 1009 Christian Street, (215) 923-3092, bestcannoli.com; Termini, 1523 S. 8^th Street, (215) 334-1816, termini.com; Frangelli’s, 847 W. Ritner Street, (215) 271-7878, frangellis.com

Play (Bocce) Ball:

• Bocce is serious business at Bardascino Park when league teams compete for bragging rights, but both newcomers and casual players find an enthusiastic welcome. 10^th & Carpenter Streets, bardascinopark.org
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• After feasting on pizza or pasta at Café Michelangelo, guests burn off a few calories with a lively game of bocce ball in the outdoor court. 11901 Bustleton Avenue, (215) 698-2233, cafemichelangelo.com
• Beer gardeners delight in alfresco craft brews, beautiful landscaping and lawn games, including bocce, shuffleboard and oversized jenga, at Independence Beer Garden. The best part? It’s all on Independence Mall, across the street from the Liberty Bell. 100 S. Independence Mall West, (215) 922-7100, phlbeergarden.com
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• South Philadelphia’s Marconi Plaza draws longtime residents and new players who want to hone their skills in a fun atmosphere—with a few friendly rivalries. Broad Street & Oregon Avenue
• The bocce courts at Spruce Street Harbor Park on the Delaware River waterfront are just one reason The Huffington Post named it one of the top urban beaches in the world. Spruce Street at Columbus Boulevard, (215) 922-2386, delawareriverwaterfront.com

Religious Roots:

• For more than a century, the Shrine of St. Rita of Cascia has been a spiritual, educational, social and cultural center for the Italian immigrants who settled in South Philadelphia at the turn of the century and the diverse community of the faithful who followed later. Managed by the friars of the Order of Saint Augustine, the shrine offers an active schedule of religious services and other activities to nurture individuals and families. 1166 S. Broad Street, (215) 546-8333, saintritashrine.org
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• Every Sunday, the priests at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church conduct an early morning mass in Italian, a nod to the community’s rich Italian heritage. 1700 S. 9^th Street, (215) 463-1326,stnicksphila.com
• Modeled after the Lombard Church of St. Charles in Rome, theItalianRenaissance-style Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul serves as the mother church for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Much of the interior was decorated by Constantino Brumidi, who painted the Capitol dome in Washington, DC. 18^th Street & Benjamin Franklin Parkway, (215) 561-1313, cathedralphila.org

The Barnes Foundation Announces Extended Hours And Special Tours for World Meeting Of Families

To accommodate more visitors during the World Meeting of Families, the Barnes Foundation will extend hours and provide special tours between September 21^st and September 25, 2015. The Barnes Collection and special exhibitions Strength and Splendor: Wrought Iron from the Musée Le Secq des Tournelles, Rouen, and Ellen Harvey: Metal Painting will be open from 10am – 8pm, Monday, September 21 through Friday, September 25, including Tuesday, September 22, a day the Foundation is usually closed to the public. The Foundation will be open from 10am – 5pm the following week, including Tuesday, September 29.

“With the world’s most important collection of post-impressionist and early modern art and an exciting line-up of tours and programs, it is important for the Barnes Foundation to be as accessible as possible for visitors from around the world who are coming to Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families and the Papal Visit,” said Thom Collins, Executive Director and President of the Barnes Foundation. “We have developed award-winning programs and tours that we know will be entertaining and educational for families visiting Philadelphia in September.”

The extended hours of the Barnes Foundation (2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia) are:

Monday, September 21, 2015: 10am – 8pm

Tuesday, September 22, 2015: 10am – 8pm

Wednesday, September, 23, 2015: 10am – 8pm

Thursday, September, 24, 2015: 10am – 8pm

Friday, September 25, 2015: 10am – 8pm

Saturday, September 26, 2015: CLOSED

Sunday, September 27, 2015: CLOSED

Monday, September 28, 2015: 10am – 5pm (regular hours)

Tuesday, September 29, 2015: 10am – 5pm

TOUR SCHEDULE

MASTERWORKS TOUR:
Daily, Monday, September 21 – Friday, September 25, 10:30am, NOON, 1:30pm, 3pm, and 6pm, and Tuesday, September 29, 10:30am, NOON, 1:30pm, and 3pm.

The best way to experience the Barnes Collection is through a tour. On the Masterworks Tour, Barnes docents will lead visitors on an exciting voyage of discovery that features highlights of the collection, historical information on the Foundation’s educational mission, and the thinking behind the extraordinary presentation of these masterpieces. This tour is not only invaluable for first-time visitors, but also inspires new ways of seeing the collection for those who have visited before and want to learn more. Approximately one hour; includes post-tour collection and special exhibition access. $45; members $22. Check the ticketing calendar for available times.

THEMED TOUR: Famously Unorthodox: Barnes's Wall Ensembles tour

Thursday, September 24, 2pm

What makes the Barnes unlike any other art institution in the world? While most collections are grouped by chronology, style, or genre, art at the Barnes is arranged according to light, line, color, and space—principles that defy curatorial norms but follow the "universal language of art" according to Dr. Barnes. Dive into the mind of a self-made entrepreneur turned eccentric collector and deconstruct his "experiments in education" that posited art as a powerful tool for educational and social reform. Approximately one hour; includes post-tour collection and special exhibition access. $45; members $22.

PRIVATE TOURS:
Daily, Monday, September 21 – Friday, September 25, and Tuesday, September 29, 11 am or 2 pm (subject to availability).

The Barnes Foundation offers private tours of the Barnes Collection for small groups of up to six people. A Barnes docent will be provided for each tour, and will shape the tour to meet your interests. Private tours are one hour in length and are all conducted in English. Requests for tours must be made at least two weeks in advance. Private tours are $60 per person, which includes museum admission. Payment will be collected one week in advance of scheduled tour dates. All private tour fees are non-refundable. To request a private tour, please contact reserve@barnesfoundation.org or 215-278-7200.

AUDIO TOURS:
Download our adult and family tours app, Audio Tours at The Barnes Foundation (Masterworks, Family Tour, Cézanne at the Barnes, and William Glackens) for free on your Apple or Android device (iTunes store or Google Play). Or, pick up an audio guide on-site; it's included with collection admission. Available in English, Spanish, French, and Japanese. Funding for the Cézanne at the Barnes audio tour generously provided by John H. McFadden and Lisa D. Kabnick.

COLLECTION AND EXHIBITIONS

In addition to the legendary collection of impressionist, post-impressionist and modern masterpieces, the Barnes Foundation also includes many important ecclesiastical objects and religious works, Old Master paintings, metalwork, African sculpture and antiquities from Greece Egypt, and Rome. Dr. Barnes hung his collection in an unconventional way – in symmetrical wall arrangements calledensembles – in order to reveal connections between artists and artworks from various cultures across time. In addition, two new exhibitions will be on view: Strength and Splendor: Wrought Iron from the Musée Le Secq des Tournelles, Rouen featuring masterworks from the world’s most important collection of wrought iron, and Ellen Harvey: Metal Painting, a site-specific installation by artist Ellen Harvey (b. 1967) commissioned by the Barnes Foundation that engages with Dr. Albert C. Barnes’s iconoclastic placement of his extensive wrought iron holdings alongside his collection of paintings by old and modern masters. Both exhibitions will be on view in the Barnes Foundation’s Aileen and Brian Roberts Gallery from September 19, 2015 through January 4, 2016.

THE BARNES ARBORETUM

The Barnes Arboretum in Merion, Pennsylvania (300 N. Latch’s Lane), will be open during its regular hours of Friday – Sunday, 10am – 4pm, with hour-long guided tours taking place Friday – Sunday, 1pm. General admission: $5; members free. Guided tours: $10; members $8. Tickets available on-site.

About the Barnes Foundation

The Barnes Foundation (barnesfoundation.org) was established by Albert C. Barnes in 1922 to “promote the advancement of education and the appreciation of the fine arts and horticulture.” The Barnes holds one of the finest collections of post-impressionist and early modern paintings, with extensive works by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Henri Rousseau, Amedeo Modigliani, Chaim Soutine, and Giorgio de Chirico; American masters Charles Demuth, William Glackens, Horace Pippin and Maurice Prendergast; old master paintings; important examples of African sculpture; Native American ceramics, jewelry and textiles; American paintings and decorative arts; and antiquities from the Mediterranean region and Asia. While most collections are grouped by chronology, style, or genre, art at the Barnes is arranged in ensembles structured according to light, line, color, and space - principles that founder Albert C. Barnes called "the universal language of art.” The Barnes Foundation’s programs, including First Fridays, Young Professionals Nights, tours, tastings, and family programs, as well as the Barnes-de Mazia Education Program courses and workshops, engage diverse audiences. These programs, held at the Philadelphia campus, online, and in Philadelphia communities, advance the Foundation’s mission through progressive, experimental, and interdisciplinary teaching and learning. The Barnes Foundation is open Wednesday – Monday, 10am – 5pm, and also 6pm – 9pm every First Friday and select Friday evenings. Tickets can easily be purchased on-site, online, or by calling 215-278-7200. For tips and assistance planning your visit, please visit our website.

The Barnes Arboretum, at the Merion campus, contains more than 2,000 varieties of trees and woody plants, many of them rare. Founded in the 1880s by Joseph Lapsley Wilson and expanded under the direction of Mrs. Laura L. Barnes, the collection includes 40 state champion trees, a Chinese fringe tree (Chionanthus retusus), a dove tree (Davidia involucrata), a monkey-puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana), and a coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens). Other important plant collections include lilacs, peonies, Stewartias, ferns, medicinal plants, hosta and magnolias. The Horticulture school at the Barnes Foundation in Merion has offered a comprehensive three-year certificate course in the botanical sciences, horticulture, garden aesthetics, and design since its establishment in 1940 by Mrs. Barnes. Horticulture workshops and lectures are also offered regularly. The Arboretum is open Friday – Sunday, 10am – 4pm, from May 1 – November 1. Tickets can easily be purchased on-site, online, or by calling 215-278-7200.

SEPTA To Hold Lottery For Regional Rail Passes For Pope's Visit To Philadelphia For World Meeting Of Families

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) --

SEPTA says it will hold a lottery for Regional Rail passes for the pope's visit to Philadelphia.




Online registration for the lottery will begin at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, August 3rd.

The lottery will run for 24 hours, ending at 11:59 p.m.

No matter what time you enter your lottery submission, everyone has the same chance for being selected, SEPTA says.

SEPTA offered these instructions on how to enter:

-Any time on Monday, Aug. 3, click the "Enter Lottery" link that will be posted on SEPTA's homepage, www.septa.org. This will take customers directly to the lottery form on Ticketleap's website with an entry form.

-Select travel dates - Saturday and/or Sunday, Sept. 26 and/or Sept. 27;

-Enter up to three preferred outlying Regional Rail Stations

-Pick travel time slot from outlying stations, either 5:30 a.m. -8:30 a.m. or 8:30 a.m.-noon

-Quantity of passes: Customers can request up to 10 each day. Customers with a valid PA Disability Transit ID Card or Medicare Card can request one

-Valid entries will be put in a database and winners selected at random by Ticketleap. Customers with winning entries will receive a "congratulations" email on Thursday. Aug. 6, with a personalized link to a secured page where they can complete their transaction with a debit or credit card. SEPTA will mail the passes to customers.



The first attempt to sell the passes on Monday, July 20th, resulted in the crash of their website.

SEPTA officials told Action News last week that they brought in outside contractors to help with the process and their site was tested for 1,700 hits per second.

They believe the site was receiving three times that amount of traffic after tickets went on sale.

SEPTA is selling a total of 350,000 passes for the weekend - 175,000 for both Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27. The passes are $10.

Regional Rail Passes For Philadelphia's Visit By Pope Francis On September 26th And 27th Suspended Due To Technical Problems

SEPTA is not yet ready to resume sales of Regional Rail passes for the weekend of Pope Francis' visit to Philadelphia.

The transit agency said the sales will not resume this week.

Technical problems forced SEPTA to suspend online sales Monday, just hours after the passes went on sale.

In a statement issued Tuesday, SEPTA officials said "We have been working with IT consultants over the last two days, and are still considering the best option to address the high interest among customers interested in purchasing the pass, and the heavy volume on the e-commerce site."

SEPTA officials told Action News they brought in outside contractors to help with the process, and their site was tested for 1,700 hits per second.

They believe the site was receiving three times that amount of traffic on Monday morning after tickets went on sale at 9 a.m.

SEPTA is selling a total of 350,000 passes for the weekend - 175,000 for both Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27. The passes are $10.

Only 201 tickets were sold on Monday morning. SEPTA confirms that most transactions were not completed.

This glitch adds to the growing confusion in the city about what residents and workers can expect in late September.

Among the unanswered questions: Which streets will be closed to traffic? What about parking? Which bus routes will run? Will there be a security fence and, if so, where will it be?

The answers will have to come from the Secret Service and the federal government, but those answers are not expected until early September.

Jim Giblin, the general manager of the 558 unit Kennedy House says the lack of information is making it very tough to plan.

"The residents are asking how their guests will come in, and how will they be able to get supplies they may need? Will the restaurants and the food markets surrounding our buildings be closed? And if so, for what length of time?" Giblin said.

Rob Calabrese runs the Philly Team Store, where papal visit items now mingle with his sports merchandise. He's not worried about closed streets and big crowds. Instead, his worry is about getting to work via SEPTA. He lived through Monday's ticket sale meltdown.

"Very concerned about it, that I'm not going to be able to get here or how I'm going to get here. It's going to be a struggle," Calabrese said.

Officials at local hospitals and the airport are also working to figure out how to get staffers in during the pope's visit.

Everything You Need To Know About The World Meeting of Families 2015 In Philadelphia

Join Pope Francis and tens of thousands of people from around the world for the 8th annual World Meeting of Families right in Philadelphia September 22–27, 2015.

Photo by M. Edlow for Visit Philadelphia

The theme of the 2015 World Meeting of Families is “Love Is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive,” emphasizing the impact of the love and life of families on our society. Not all details have been released at this time, but tradition suggests there will be a Papal Mass on Sunday, Sept. 27, along Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
The 2015 World Meeting of Families will be held at the Philadelphia Convention Center. Held every three years since 1994 and sponsored by the Holy See’s Pontifical Council for the Family, the World Meeting of Families is the world’s largest Catholic gathering of families. At the conference, families share their thoughts, dialogue and prayers, working together to grow as individuals and family units. Families can participate in discussion groups on the Christian family’s role in the church and society, led by many distinguished speakers.
Registration for the event is now open. Visit the World Meeting of Families' website to learn about the schedule, speakers, exhibitors and more.
Use the resources on the right to find places to stay, things to do and road trips to experience in the area. 

- See more at: http://www.visitpa.com/articles/world-meeting-families-2015-philadelphia#sthash.4go7PMhT.dpuf