Pope to deliver speech on Independence Mall

CENTER CITY (WPVI) -- Much of the focus of the upcoming papal visit has been on Sunday's Mass on the parkway September 27th. But the pope will first be on Independence Mall on Saturday to give a highly-anticipated speech.

Historic Independence Hall is the birthplace of this nation, and it will provide the backdrop for Pope Francis on the afternoon of Saturday, September 26th.

It will be there, on a relatively small stage, where the pope will give something of a policy speech.

Bob Ciaruffoli from the World Meeting of Families explains, "It is not a religious service. It's the pope, the Holy Father, speaking about his feelings on issues that are important to him."

Park guide Andrew Connally says, "For me, this is ground zero of U.S. history."

Connally says the pope chose a perfect spot for his chosen topics of religious freedom and a hot button issue in America right now - immigration.

"From the beginning, we have always been a place of diversity, and that's something I am terribly proud of as a Pennsylvanian," Connally said.

Tens of thousands - many of them immigrants themselves - are expected to fill the blocks that stretch from Independence Hall to the Constitution Center.

Ciaruffoli says, "When you look around, it will be a good microcosm of what the population of the United States is."

Conally noted that Pope Francis will join a long and illustrious list of speakers here on the mall.

"Probably our first super famous visitor was Abraham Lincoln. We know for sure that he was here on his way to Washington DC to be sworn in as president in 1861," Conally said.

A plaque also marks the spot where John F. Kennedy spoke here in 1962.

The pope is expected to tour the hall - and perhaps see the Liberty Bell. But this is a pope who's surprised the world already. His time in Philadelphia should be no different.

Ciaruffoli tells us, "I think we all know that this pope does what he wants to do, and we'll see what he feels like doing that day."

World Meeting of Families organizers are still deciding whether some or all areas of Independence Mall will be ticketed for the pope's Saturday appearance. It's a decision they hope to make very soon.