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Pope Francis talks to Congress, visits New York

The pontiff prepares to meet prisoners in Philadelphia.

THE PUPILS OF an elementary school in East Harlem have been practicing singing "The Prayer of St. Francis" in anticipation of today's visit to their school by Pope Francis.

It's a little tricky because the youngsters have to sing the song from memory. Not to worry, said Joanne Walsh, the principal of their school, Our Lady Queen of Angels: "They'll sing from their hearts."

In Philadelphia, where Pope Francis will visit this weekend, efforts were made to avert a possible calamity when His Holiness uses the lectern from which Abraham Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address to speak at Independence Hall.

The lectern was a little rickety, being more than 150 years old, and the nightmare scenario was that it would collapse on the 78-year-old pontiff.

Not to worry: Workmen have shored up the lectern.

Pope Francis, on a six-day, three-city tour of the United States, his first, spoke before a joint session of Congress yesterday, then left for New York City, where he will address the United Nations General Assembly today, visit the Harlem school, and celebrate Mass at Madison Square Garden.

Then it will be off to Philadelphia tomorrow morning. He will celebrate Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter and Paul in the morning. Seminarians at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary on City Avenue will hold a ceremony for him afterward.

The pope will visit Independence Hall with a talk expected to touch on immigration and religious freedom. He will ride the Popemobile along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and will visit the World Meeting of Families on Eakins Oval.

Sisters of the Monastery of St. Clare have made 100,000 communion wafers for the pope.

Francis will hold a prayer vigil with the World Meeting tomorrow evening on the parkway, after which he will be entertained by Aretha Franklin; Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli; Colombian singer Juanes; the Philadelphia Orchestra; the Fray, a rock band from Denver; and comedian Jim Gallagher. Actor Mark Wahlberg will host the event.

On Sunday, Francis will meet with international and U.S. bishops and guests at the Chapel of St. Martin of Tours at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.

He then will visit 100 prisoners and their families at the Curran-Fromhold Correction Facility. He will accept a chair built by prisoners.

He will celebrate Mass for the World Meeting at 4 p.m. at Eakins Oval.

At 7 p.m., he is due to meet with volunteers and supporters of the World Meeting at Philadelphia International Airport, before leaving for Rome.

- The Associated Press

contributed to this report.