Pope Visit Prompts State Of Emergency In Bucks County

One Bucks County Township has plans to declare a State of Emergency during the Pope’s visit to the region in September.

The Middletown Township Board of Supervisors has approved declaring a state of emergency during the highly-anticipated visit on the recommendation of Police Chief Joseph Bartorilla, the Bucks County Courier Times reports.

The state of emergency will run from 8 p.m. Sept. 25 through 8 a.m. Sept. 28, the publication said.

Pope Francis will be coming to Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families. His visit will have broad impacts on SEPTA public transit. Middletown Township is home to SEPTA’s Woodbourne Station.

Officials in Middltown say by declaring a state of emergency, the township may be eligible for federal reimbursement for police overtime during the Papal visit, the Courier Times said.

Pope Francis will be arriving in Philadelphia on Saturday, Sept. 26. His tentative itinerary includes:

Saturday, Sept. 26

• 8:40 a.m. Departure from John F. Kennedy International Airport
• 9:30 a.m. Arrival at Atlantic Aviation, Philadelphia
• 10:30 a.m. Mass at Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, Philadelphia
• 4:45 p.m. Visit to Independence Mall
• 7:30 p.m. Visit to the Festival of Families Benjamin Franklin Parkway

Sunday, Sept. 27

• 9:15 a.m. Meeting with bishops at at St. Martin’s Chapel, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
• 11:00 a.m. Visit to Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility
• 4:00 p.m. Mass for the conclusion of the World Meeting of Families, Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• 7:00 p.m. Visit with organizers, volunteers and benefactors of the World Meeting of Families, Atlantic Aviation
• 8:00 p.m. Departure for Rome