PHILADELPHIA >> What gift do you give Pope Francis? A bicycle, of course.
A cream-colored, vintage-styled Breezer bicycle is just one of the thank you gifts the City of Philadelphia, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the World Meeting of Families will present to Pope Francis when he comes for his inaugural visit to Philadelphia Saturday.
Other gifts include a book comprised of letters and artwork created by Philadelphia students, as well as a glass etching with an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence in English and Spanish. The Pope will also be presented with a Lenox bowl with an image of Independence Hall and a Lenox place setting with a design of the crest of the Holy Father printed on it. The items were on display during a press conference at the Philadelphia Convention Center Thursday afternoon.
“When we were thinking of gifts to give to his Holiness one of the things we thought of was what he would be doing when he comes to Philadelphia,” said Donna Crilley Farrell, executive director of the World Meeting of Families.
One thing that Pope Francis will do during his visit to Philadelphia is meet some of the people of the city. Southwest Philadelphia resident and St. Cyprian Church parishioner Dorothy Franklin designed a white jacket for the Holy Father with “World Meeting of Families, Pope Francis, Sept. 22-27, 2015, Phila., Pa.” seamed on the back in red and blue. She said it took her three weeks to complete. This gift will be among the gifts given to Pope Francis, Crilley Farrell said.
“This gift represents me,” Franklin said. “I am also representing my people – my black Catholics – everyone.”
Franklin’s jacket was chosen as a gift for the Pope after she submitted a letter and the jacket to officials at the WMOF for Pope Francis.
“God gave her a gift and she had to use that gift,” Reverend John McIntyre, Auxiliary to the Archbishop of Philadelphia, said at the conference. “It’s a beautiful testimony of her faith.”