A group of almost 200 prominent Catholics in the New York area that travel in Rome this week to meet Pope Francis, and, guessing that they would be available to pay their final respect.
After months of planning, the worships of the Archdiocese of New York, including former police commissioner, Ray Kelly, prepared on Wednesday to go on a one -week trip to the capital of Italy.
The trip was intended to celebrate both the 75th birthday of the New York Archbishop Timothy M. Dollan, as well as this year of the Jubilee, a special moment for grace and forgiveness observed every 25 years in the Catholic Church.
“I thought we could have a audience with [Pope Francis] On the trip … It was definitely a possibility, “recalled one of the parishioners, Cindy Caruso Aquila, Saturday.
On the other hand, on Friday, the group was given VIP access to see the Pontiff’s coffin in the Basilica of San Pedro in the Vatican, organized by Cardinal Dolan.
“Many people waited in line for six or seven hours to walk beyond the coffin, and we went through which many of the dignitaries were happening, and we had the opportunity to walk with Pope Hait.
Dolan gave the group a private tour of the Vatican, and a vision of the last conclave, who voted in the late Pope Francis.
“It was very special to be in the room where the cardinals voted in a new lake,” he said.
“It has a bone of an extraordinary experience, everything is very special, very spiritual,” said Aquila.
The group is expected to return to the state of the Empire on Tuesday.
