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| Expectations high ahead of Pope Francis's historic address to Congress – live coverage | Expectations high ahead of Pope Francis's historic address to Congress – live coverage |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 1.14pm BST13:14 | |
| Nuns from the order of the Servants of the Lord pose for a photograph as they wait outside the U.S. Capitol for a chance to see Pope Francis in Washington. Francis is expected to greet the crowd outside from a balcony after addressing members of Congress. | |
| 12.59pm BST12:59 | |
| It is customary for representative Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas to arrive hours in advance to stake out her seat on the aisle of the chamber for a State of the Union address, so that she can shake hands and take a picture with the President. | |
| Fox News’ Gretawire blog reports that while congressional leadership have tried to discourage that by blocking access to the centre aisle. | |
| But Dan Roberts confirms that, nonetheless, Lee is there early as usual - staking out a seat, as close as she can get to where the pope will pass. | |
| 12.52pm BST12:52 | |
| This is a sneak peek from the Guardian’s DC bureau chief Dan Roberts of the chamber of the US House of Representatives, where Pope Francis will speak. | |
| It’s where the State of the Union address and all joint speeches to congress are held. “I’m told we may get some Supreme Court justices today too, so it will really feel like a State Of The Union,” Dan says. | |
| 12.43pm BST12:43 | |
| Stephanie Kirchgaessner | |
| Some context this morning from Guardian correspondent Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Rome. | |
| When Francis steps up to the podium today in the US Capitol, he will be the first pope to address a joint session of Congress, an occasion that is usually reserved for visiting heads of state. Anticipation has reached a fever pitch - both in Washington and around the world - precisely because this pope is expected to speak on issues that are central to the highly-partisan and often bitter debates that consume American politics today: the environment, immigration, poverty, and the US role in the world. | |
| To be sure, his speech will not be a bland recitation that seeks only to please and assure the gathered lawmakers. While most Vatican watchers believe the pope’s primary motivation for visiting the US was to attend the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia this weekend, he clearly sees his visit to the nation’s capital as an opportunity to issue a call to conscience and challenge lawmakers on the issues at the heart of his papacy. | |
| Francis has already indicated in speeches that he is not shying away from controversy. Although his language is not abrasive, his repeated references to himself as the son of immigrants, for example, marks an attempt not only to identify with the American experience, but to gently chastise those who have vilified immigrants as freeloaders who take but do not enrich society. He will seek not to lecture, but to nudge the assembled politicians - who are overwhelmingly Christian - to see things from a different and more nuanced perspective, and to free themselves of political rigidity. | |
| The pope will stand in front of John Boehner, the Republican speaker of the House, and Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic vice president who also has the role of president of the Senate. Both men are Catholic and represent the diversity of views within the church across the political spectrum. As a savvy operator, the pope knows he cannot just appeal to one of them. | |
| Updated at 12.45pm BST | |
| 12.20pm BST12:20 | 12.20pm BST12:20 |
| If the sunrise was anything to go by, it’s looking set to be a spectacularly beautiful day in Washington, DC for Pope Francis’ address to Congress. | If the sunrise was anything to go by, it’s looking set to be a spectacularly beautiful day in Washington, DC for Pope Francis’ address to Congress. |
| Check out the sky....unedited photo. #PopeInDC pic.twitter.com/8cO5RFSOcW | Check out the sky....unedited photo. #PopeInDC pic.twitter.com/8cO5RFSOcW |
| 12.07pm BST12:07 | 12.07pm BST12:07 |
| Hello and welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of day three of Pope Francis’ visit to the United States. | Hello and welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of day three of Pope Francis’ visit to the United States. |
| It's a beautiful morning at the Capitol for Pope Francis. pic.twitter.com/HGJTeoz3um | It's a beautiful morning at the Capitol for Pope Francis. pic.twitter.com/HGJTeoz3um |
| After a politically-charged speech urging action on climate change at the White House yesterday, expectations are high for the pontiff’s speech to a joint session of both houses of Congress, scheduled for 9.20am ET (1.20pm GMT) today. | After a politically-charged speech urging action on climate change at the White House yesterday, expectations are high for the pontiff’s speech to a joint session of both houses of Congress, scheduled for 9.20am ET (1.20pm GMT) today. |
| After that, Francis will visit St. Patrick’s Catholic church and the Catholic charities of the Archdiocese of Washington, before heading back to Andrews Joint Air Base to fly to New York City. Here’s his full schedule: | After that, Francis will visit St. Patrick’s Catholic church and the Catholic charities of the Archdiocese of Washington, before heading back to Andrews Joint Air Base to fly to New York City. Here’s his full schedule: |
| 9.20am (1.20pm GMT): Pope Francis addresses a joint session of the US Congress. On the West Front of the US Capitol, a jumbotron broadcast shows the event. This is the first time a reigning pontiff has ever addressed Congress. | 9.20am (1.20pm GMT): Pope Francis addresses a joint session of the US Congress. On the West Front of the US Capitol, a jumbotron broadcast shows the event. This is the first time a reigning pontiff has ever addressed Congress. |
| 11.15am (3.15pm GMT): Pope Francis meets with the poor and the homeless during a visit to St Patrick in the City and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington. Later that afternoon, he departs for New York. | 11.15am (3.15pm GMT): Pope Francis meets with the poor and the homeless during a visit to St Patrick in the City and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington. Later that afternoon, he departs for New York. |
| 6.45pm (10.45pm GMT): The pope leads the evening prayer at a Vespers service at St Patrick’s Cathedral. The event is only open to clergy of St Patrick’s Cathedral. | 6.45pm (10.45pm GMT): The pope leads the evening prayer at a Vespers service at St Patrick’s Cathedral. The event is only open to clergy of St Patrick’s Cathedral. |
| It’s going to be an eventful day. Stay tuned for live updates. | It’s going to be an eventful day. Stay tuned for live updates. |
| Updated at 12.12pm BST | Updated at 12.12pm BST |