Vatican approved the program of the visit of Pope Francis to the USA

On Tuesday, the Vatican announced a confirmed program of the visit of Pope Francis to the United States in September of this year. The pontiff will visit Washington, New York and Philadelphia.

The papal visit program includes a welcoming ceremony at the September 23 White House and a personal meeting with President Obama.

The Vatican also confirmed that the next day the pontiff will speak at a joint meeting of both chambers of Congress. During his visit to Washington, Pope Francis will also meet with the beneficiaries of Catholic philanthropic organizations of the Archdiocese of Washington.

The pontiff will celebrate Mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and at the Catholic University of America, where he canonizes the 18th-century Franciscan missionary Junipero Serra, who established several Catholic missions on the Pacific coast of present-day California.

According to the pontiff, the Spanish priest Serra, who died in 1784, was one of the brave missionaries who traveled to “geographical, social and existential periphery”, preaching the Christian faith to the indigenous people of America.

The Pope also called Father Serru one of the founding fathers of the United States, "a righteous example of the universality of the church and a special patron of the Latin American population of the country."

Some California Native American leaders believe that the activities of Serra’s father have led to the oppression of local people and the suppression of their culture, and also contributed to the spread of diseases that have caused large numbers of indigenous people to die.

Pope Francis, without mentioning any specific accusations, praised Serra’s religious zeal and noted that he “defended the indigenous population from oppression of the colonialists.”

In addition to the United States, the pontiff also decided to visit Cuba, taking on the role of a mediator in peace negotiations between countries that are trying to improve relations after the 50-year break.