Selfie Sticks Banned During Papal Mass

By KARA SEYMOUR

Your dreams of snapping the perfect selfie with the Pope (or at least near the Pope) have been squashed.

If you’re going into Philadelphia to see the Pope on Sept. 26 and 27, you’ll have to simply stretch your arms because the Secret Service has banned selfie sticks inside designated security zones.

The Secret Service recently released a list of items that will not be permitted inside the two “secure zones” during the Pope’s visit to the World Meeting of Families. The zones will be surrounded by security checkpoints. (Click here to view a list of everything banned inside the Papal secure zones.)

The Pope’s first public event will be held Saturday at Independence National Historical Park in Center City, where he will give a speech on religious freedom and immigration. That event will be for ticket holders only. A secure zone will be set up in that area. (Remember, no selfie sticks.)

The Parkway secure zone, which surrounds the art museum, has been set up where the Pope will give a public mass on 4 p.m. Sunday. There is a section for ticket holders only, as well as a public section but all must go through security.

Click here to view the full map with security checkpoints.

Officials are expecting more than 1.5 million visitors to the city for the Pope’s historic visit to the World Meeting of Families. Pope Francis will arrive at Philadelphia International Airport at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 26.

Click here to view the Pope’s full schedule.

(Photo Kerry Raymond, Creative Commons)