Pope Benedict's Visit Means Unprecedented Security

The NYPD is making sure security is high for Pope Benedict's visit to New York City next week. Not only will there be undercover cops with "pager-sized radiation detectors" and bomb-sniffing dogs, there will be sharpshooters, scuba divers, and others, plus the Secret Service and the Pope's Swiss Guard, on hand.

Yesterday, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said, "We will provide the highest possible level of security while accommodating the public in welcoming the pontiff." He added, "While we are not aware of any specific threats to the pope, we are obviously cognizant of the fact that Osama bin Laden in his latest video tape was critical of the pope."

Pope Benedict arrives next Friday (his itinerary is after the jump) and will be visiting the United Nations, the Upper East Side, lower Manhattan, Yonkers, and the Bronx, making stops at different churches, Ground Zero Yankee Stadium, and a synagogue.

Since the 5,000 tickets to his mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral on Saturday, April 18, were quickly snatched up, the Archdiocese of New York recommends people line Fifth Avenue from 50th Street all the way up the 70th Street to see the Pope traveling in his Popemobile. While Pope Benedict is expected to leave the St. Pat's around 1:15 p.m., spectators should line up well before that time; WCBS 2 recommends people go a little north of St. Pat's, because that will be a frozen zone open to ticket holders.

Needless to say, traffic will be a mess and there are a number of street closures.

The Papal Itinerary in New York City:

# Friday, April 18, 10:45 a.m.
Pope Benedict XVI will address the United Nations, after an early morning flight to New York.

# Friday, April 18, 6 p.m.
Prayer service with leaders from other Christian denominations at St. Joseph's Church, founded by German Catholics, in Manhattan.

# Saturday, April 19, 9:15 a.m.
Mass for priests, deacons and members of religious orders at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in the heart of New York City.

# Saturday, April 19, 4:30 p.m.
The Holy Father will meet with young Catholics, including 50 youngsters with a range of disabilities, at St. Joseph Seminary in Yonkers. Thousands of young people, including hundreds of seminarians, are expected to participate in a rally/prayer service and to hear the pope speak.

# Sunday, April 20, 9:30 a.m.
The Holy Father will visit Ground Zero, the site of the disaster at the World Trade Center.

# Sunday, April 20, 2:30 p.m.
Mass at Yankee Stadium will bring this historic visit to a close. The 200th anniversary of the Baltimore Archdiocese’s designation as an archdiocese, as well as the birth of four dioceses – Boston, New York, Louisville and Philadelphia – will be highlighted during the Mass.

# Sunday, April 20, 8 p.m.
Shepherd One lifts off from John F. Kennedy airport in the Brooklyn Diocese, heading east to the Eternal City.

Photograph of Pope Benedict visiting his weekly general audience in the Vatican City on Wednesday by Pier Paolo Cito/AP

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on April 11, 2008 11:52 AM

Comments [rss]

robingee

[9] I don't like the Pope either but the Hitler Youth thing was not his fault, he was 14 years old. Come on.

Now then, his views on birth control and gay rights are something to dislike him for.

KhuntienNang

will he be flying in into nyc? will he be taking car around the city? that's pollution. and i thought polluting the environment is one of the new sins he set. uh oh.

Phil McCracken 222

If the Pope is for real, then I am totally fucked and going to hell and so are most of you

ihateallbrokers

the pope is not dope in my book,

has everybody forgotten that he was a nazi youth

member? i guess thats forgivable?

or is being a nazi unforgivable?

at what point is being a nazi forgivable,

bishop, cardinal? archbishop? or is only a nazi

pope OK?

but he was a young boy?

ok at what age is being a nazi OK?

why did he not refuse? wouldnt that be cool?

nope, he just went with the rest of the crowd?

didnt he beleive jesus would protect him?

i guess not, im sure he probably pointed out

some jews for execution just to save himself!!

the whole idea of a pope is retarded!

but who knows i only know about the papacy from

watching 'the tudors' on showtime.

Phil McCracken 222

He does have that burning charisma, I'll give ya that

TXinBklyn

"Elderly church ladies are in a frenzy over this, nobody else"

Oh you are sooo wrong. This mid-30's dad, wife and their kid are very excited.

blablanyc

Will the Pope get Rickrolled?

Phil McCracken 222

Elderly church ladies are in a frenzy over this, nobody else

Gothamist_Cynic

He should wear jeans and a t-shirt and a yankees cap.

Tim N.

Kelly also rolled out his newest gadget, the Heathen Detector. Depending on your level of disbelief, you get identified on a screen in a truck and either a lightning bolt or Bill Donahue are summoned to your location immediately.

It's nice to see that he'll be using the airport named for our blessed ex-President, since most Irish Catholic homes had their 5x7 of the Blessed Mother and the 11x14 of JFK.

Atomische

He should take the subway to and from all those places . . . unless he doubts that god will protect him.

bxbrian

God give me strength going to work!

I pope I get there on time.

Thank you, thank you! I'll be here all week. Don't forget to tip your waitresses!