WASHINGTON — Which position will the pope take up at Nationals Park? Second base or center field?
Curious questions face organizers preparing for the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI, whose three-day visit to Washington in mid-April will allow few opportunities for the public to see him.
From the White House to Catholic University to the new ballpark, the first papal visit to the District of Columbia in 29 years will be tightly controlled and highly security-conscious. There will be no motorcades through city streets, with the pope standing and waving in a convertible, as Pope John Paul II did when he visited in 1979.
“Post-9/11 security concerns have changed that,” said Susan Gibbs, spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Washington, which is organizing the only public event here on Pope Benedict’s schedule: a Mass at Nationals Park at 10 a.m. April 17.
Hence, the debate over where on the field the pope will celebrate Mass.
With requests for thousands of tickets pouring into the offices of the archdiocese, officials are looking to squeeze as many people as possible into the stadium.
At first, the decision was made to put the altar at second base, which is where Yankees Stadium places the altar for papal Masses, Nationals Park and achdiocese officials said.
But after looking at plans for the park, which is under construction, organizers realized that they could fit in 4,000 more seats — for a total of 45,000 — if they placed the altar at center field, said Heather Westrom, the Nationals’ director of ballpark enterprises.
And so, the pope will celebrate Mass from deep center field.
The doors will open about 6:30 a.m. for pre-Mass activities, including music and videos. During the two-hour Mass, local Catholics will play a big role. Seminarians will be altar servers, and laypeople will be chosen to read Scripture. Music will be provided by D.C.-area parish choirs.
Plans for distributing tickets have not been completed, but in the past, tickets to major Catholic events have been distributed through parishes and Catholic organizations.
The archdiocese has been asked whether non-Catholics can attend (yes) and whether the Mass is part of the Nationals baseball ticket package (no).
The archdiocese is trying to keep the free tickets from popping up on e-Bay and falling into the hands of scalpers.
The Mass “is for the faithful who want to be with the Holy Father,” Gibbs said. “It shouldn’t be an opportunity for people to make money.”
The popemobile — a specially designed automobile used by the pope during public appearances — will be used to transport the pope into and around the stadium.
The rest of the pope’s schedule includes a visit to the White House on April 16, his birthday. Afterward, the pope with meet with U.S. bishops at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Northeast Washington. After celebrating Mass the next day, the pope will address Catholic educators at Catholic University and meet with Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh and Jewish leaders at the nearby Pope John Paul II Cultural Center.
On April 18, he departs for New York City, where he will address the United Nations and celebrate Mass at Yankee Stadium before returning to Rome.
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