Some Philly Residents Resent Pope’s Visit

The pope’s visit to Philadelphia is an exciting development for sure. The city is all abuzz with planning for the big event, which is set to take place in September.

But some Philadelphia residents just aren’t feeling the papal love. Scores of residents have taken to internet forums like Reddit and the comments sections of news sites to complain about the inconveniences that will arise as the result of the pope’s visit. Concerns like road blockages, transportation issues, and crowds are all coming to light, making some city dwellers resentful of the event.

Some have criticized the mayor’s plans for transportation and security during the pope’s visit.

Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter addressed the gripes recently, speaking on the topic on KYW Newsradio. He pointed out that Philadelphia’s unique venues make it the perfect backdrop for the pope’s first official visit to the United States, and that he believes residents of New York or Boston would have had many of the same concerns if the visit were being held in one of those cities. He also opined that the positive aspects of the papal visit far outweighed the negatives, and said that he feels people will be talking about the visit for “decades to come.”

While some grown-up Philadelphians are lamenting the pope’s visit, it’s likely that many schoolchildren will be grateful for the event. Philadelphia schools may end up with a five-day weekend thanks to Pope Francis’ visit. They will have Friday the 25th off, as well as Monday the 28th due to the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. Now, the city is seeking an additional day off on Thursday the 24th.