Philadelphia: Papal Events Will Be Ticketed

Have you been looking forward to seeing the pope when he comes to Philadelphia? Did you already beat the computer frenzy to score a rail pass, mentally memorize all the rules related to the security zones, and prepare your walking shoes for what could be miles of trudging around within the “Francis Festival Grounds?” Did you see yesterday’s list of prohibited items and pack away your aerosol sprays, balloons, and oversized backpacks? Guess what, eager beavers – there is yet another hoop for you to jump through before you can see the pontiff. Specifically, you have to get ticketed.

If you didn’t nab a ticket to the papal mass yesterday, you’d better plan on opening your wallet wide.

With just weeks to go before the pope’s September 26-27 visit to the City of Brotherly Love, city officials announced that those wishing to get within half a mile of the pontiff during the mass to be held on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway will have to obtain a ticket. Same goes for the closing ceremony of the World Meeting of Families, which will be held the day before the mass on the Parkway.

The announcement from the city stated that tickets are being distributed to each of the Philadelphia Archdiocese’s 219 parishes, as well as to surrounding parishes in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey. Certain faith-based social service programs will also receive tickets. It has not been announced how many tickets will be made available.

The news comes as an additional blow to those eager to see the pope, considering that hotel bookings and rail pass purchases have been lower than expected because some experts say people are being put off by all the red tape in the way of seeing the pontiff. Signs seem to show that people are put off by the overwhelming security presence and the hoops to jump through. It remains to be seen whether the pope’s audience matches initial projections of 1.5 million or even higher.