How to See (or Avoid) Pope Francis on NYC Visit

Pope Francis is scheduled to hit NYC at the end of September — one of three East Coast stops on his first journey to the United States as leader of the Catholic world.

The New York City Mayor’s Office announced on Tuesday that, after much ado, authorities have decided to allow the Pope to “greet thousands of guests in a historic procession through Central Park.”

Want to see God’s right-hand man in action?

Here’s how. The Mayor’s Office will be holding a ticket giveaway contest beginning on Thursday, Sept. 3, and lasting through Monday, Sept. 7. To enter, visit this page on or after Sept. 3. (Or, if you don’t have Internet, call 311 between those dates.)

“Tickets are required for the Central Park Procession,” says the Mayor’s Office. ”Residents of New York State may enter to receive two tickets via a ticket giveaway contest. Space is limited and entrants will be randomly selected to receive tickets.”

(U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer also held a raffle for tickets to attend the Pope’s address to Congress in Washington, D.C., but that lottery has since been closed.)

Other than that, your best bet for catching a glimpse of the people’s Pope is essentially just lurking in the vicinity of the following locations at the following times while trying to look as little like a terrorist as possible.

Here is the Pope’s NYC itinerary in full:

Thursday, September 24

• 5 p.m. Arrive at John F. Kennedy International Airport
  

• 6:45 p.m. Evening Prayer (Vespers) at St. Patrick’s Cathedral (open only to the Clergy of St. Patrick’s Cathedral)
  

Friday, September 25

• 8:30 am Visit to the United Nations and Address to the United Nations General Assembly (open only to UN officials)
  

• 11:30 am Multi-religious service at 9/11 Memorial and Museum, World Trade Center (ticket lottery closed)
  

• 4 p.m. Visit to Our Lady Queen of Angels School, East Harlem (open only to a select group of students and administrators from four Catholic schools in New York, and a gym full of Catholic Charities representatives)

• TBD Procession through Central Park (ticket lottery here)
  

• 6 p.m. Mass at Madison Square Garden (tickets reportedly very limited and not sold to the public; contact your own diocesan chancery office for more information)
  

Saturday, September 26

• 8:40 am Departure John F. Kennedy International Airport
  

City and law enforcement officials have yet to issue any official instructions on how to avoid Pope gridlock. (Unlike in New Jersey, where state police drew up an ominous map and issued a statement advising residents ”to treat this event like they would a forecasted snowstorm.”)

However, as a general rule, staying as far away from the above locations within a few hours of the Pope’s arrival and departure is advisable.

This city website promises to issue Pope-related transit alerts as they become available. We at Patch will also be updating this story with any info we can find on how to see (or avoid) Pope Francis on his way through.