POPE FANS LINE UP AT DELCO PARISHES FOR TICKETS FOR FRANCIS EVENTS

Standing outside St. John Chrysostom parish house in Nether Providence Monday afternoon, a festive fellow garbed in white greeted a growing line of parishioners with a perpetual wave. “He” was a life-sized cardboard cutout of Pope Francis and they were his faithful fans hoping to score tickets to see the real Holy Father when he comes to the region Sept. 26 and 27.

“We received 248 for each day. The ones for the papal Mass went within 15 minutes,” said Mary Chollet, director of ministries and communications for St. John Chrysostom parish, referring to the 4 p.m. Mass Pope Francis is scheduled to celebrate on Logan Circle in Philadelphia Sept. 27.

All but 48 of St. John Chrysostom’s tickets for the Festival of Families at which the pontiff is scheduled to appear 7:30 p.m. Sept. 26 were gone by 8 p.m. Monday.

“The last ones for the festival were claimed this morning,” said Chollet Wednesday afternoon.

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