Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to D.C. this week offers a rare opportunity for tens of thousands of his followers to see and hear the Catholic leader in person.
The papal visit also will pose a challenge to area residents and visitors as the security requires the closure of several roads through the week.
The pope is scheduled to arrive at 4 p.m. today at Andrews Air Force Base during afternoon rush hour. He will depart Friday morning.
The public will have two main opportunities to see the pope as he moves throughout the District in his popemobile motorcade.
After Benedict visits with President Bush on Wednesday morning, the popemobile will travel west from the White House to the Vatican’s residence on Observatory Circle. The route runs from Pennsylvania Avenue to Washington Circle, to Massachusetts Avenue through Rock Creek Parkway to the embassy located across from the U.S. Naval Observatory. The public generally can see the pope from the sidewalks throughout the route.
At about 5:15 p.m. that afternoon, the pope will board the popemobile for a second motorcade from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, 3211 Fourth St. NE, to the Basilica of the National Shrine on the Immaculate Conception on Michigan Avenue. The public can see the pope along this route from the west side of Fourth Street Northeast, and the south side of Michigan Avenue near the shrine.
Streets will be closed from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday around Catholic University in Northeast Washington: Michigan Avenue from Monroe Street to Irving Street; Fourth Street Northeast, north of Lincoln Road; and Harewood Road from Taylor Street to Michigan Avenue.
On Thursday, Harewood will close from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Michigan and McCormick Avenue Northeast, from Taylor Street to Michigan, will be closed from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.,
Also Thursday, from 2 a.m. to 2 p.m., South Capitol Street Southeast will be closed from I Street to Potomac Avenue over the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge to Firth Sterling Avenue.
