Pope Francis spent only three days in New York during his singular visit to the United States but left an indelible mark on the city and those whom he encountered in September 2015.

The visit was the Holy Father’s only one to the United States, both before and after becoming Pope. He was the fifth Pope to visit the United States and the fourth to come to New York, following a first papal visit in October 1965 by Pope Paul VI and, more recently, by his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, in April 2008.

Arrival
Pope Francis came to the United States as part of a nine-day trip to North America, September 19-28, 2015, which included four days in Cuba before flying first to Washington, D.C., and then New York.

The United Nations
After landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens on September 24, the Pope went directly to St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan, for the celebration of vespers with priests and men and women religious, where Cardinal Timothy Dolan greeted him.

“Joy springs from a grateful heart,” the Pope said. “Truly, we have received much, so many graces, so many blessings, and we rejoice in this.” Cardinal Dolan declared Pope Francis to be “an official New Yorker.”

The following day, Friday, September 25, Pope Francis addressed the United Nations General Assembly, where he emphasized the importance of addressing climate change, poverty, and the refugee crisis. The Argentina-born Pope spoke of the need for environmental stewardship and care for the marginalized, both continuing themes throughout his papacy.

“I pray to Almighty God that this will be the case, and I assure you of my support and my prayers, and the support and prayers of all the faithful of the Catholic Church, that this Institution, all its member States, and each of its officials, will always render an effective service to mankind, a service respectful of diversity and capable of bringing out, for sake of the common good, the best in each people and in every individual,” he said.

Pope Francis was accompanied throughout the day by Cardinal Dolan.

The emotional highlight of his stay in New York was a visit to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum at Ground Zero, where he participated in an interfaith prayer service with representatives from various religious traditions. The service underscored themes of peace, healing, and solidarity.

“The flowing water is also a symbol of our tears. Tears at so much devastation and ruin, past and present. This is a place where we shed tears, we weep out of a sense of helplessness in the face of injustice, murder, and the failure to settle conflicts through dialogue. Here we mourn the wrongful and senseless loss of innocent lives because of the inability to find solutions which respect the common good. This flowing water reminds us of yesterday’s tears, but also of all the tears still being shed today,” he said, speaking Spanish.

Our Lady Queen of Angels School
Later that day, Pope Francis visited Our Lady Queen of Angels School in East Harlem, where he was greeted by hundreds of people from the school and the community and met with students, teachers, and staff, many from immigrant families. The visit highlighted the Pope’s focus on education and his special concern for those on society’s margins.

“They tell me one of the nice things about this school is that some of its students come from other places, even other countries,” he said. “I know it’s not easy to have to move and find a new home, new neighbors and new friends…there is so much to learn and not just in school,” Catholic New York reported.

Procession through Central Park and Mass at Madison Square Garden The most public event of Pope Francis’ visit to New York was a procession through Central Park, where approximately 80,000 people gathered to see him. The crowds lined the route, waving and cheering as his vehicle passed by.

Pope Francis concluded his New York visit with a celebration of Mass at Madison Square Garden attended by about 20,000 people. The Mass brought together Catholics throughout the region in a powerful display of faith and community.

“We are in Madison Square Garden, a place synonymous with this city. This is the site of important athletic, artistic, and musical events attracting people not only from this city, but from the whole world. In this place, which represents both the variety and the common interests of so many different people, we have listened to the words: ‘The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light’ (Is 9:1),” he said in his homily.

“God is living in our cities. The Church is living in our cities. God and the Church living in our cities want to be like yeast in the dough, to relate to everyone, to stand at everyone’s side, proclaiming the marvels of the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Eternal Father, and the Prince of Peace,” the Pope said.

Pope Francis departed the following morning for a short flight to Philadelphia, concluding his New York visit. During his brief and singular visit, he touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers.