PHILADELPHIA (WTOL) - The preparations are well underway in Philadelphia for the Popes visit this weekend. But before that over 15,000 Catholics, including over 100 pilgrims from the Diocese of Toledo, are attending the World Meeting of the families this week.
Everyday the families from Toledo arrive at the Pennsylvania Convention Center for the World Meeting of Families there is more people and even more excitement.
There are Catholics there from over 100 different countries and this is the first World Meeting of Families ever held in the U.S. Of course this all culminates this weekend with the Festival of Families and Papal events.
Thursday, people who had tickets were picking them up. The families traveling with the Diocese of Toledo are part of about 20,000 people who have tickets for priority standing room to the Papal Mass, where they will be in the two and half blocks closest to the Pope, which is huge considering they are expecting over 1.5 million people for the mass Sunday.
"Were within like two blocks of where the Pope will be saying mass and that's just awesome. It's like a dream come true pretty much," said Jacob Livecchi.
"It's still a little surreal. I think I head like two blocks away, which like well that's kind of far, but I just can't think on a scale of a million and a half people," said Joe Livecchi.
These brothers from Oregon are also taking part in a big effort to break the world record for the most participants painting one mural. They are hoping to get 2,264 participants and they are getting close! It's paint by numbers and will eventually be hung on a local building in Philadelphia.
Right now the second wave of pilgrims from the diocese is en route from Toledo. There's about 200 of them who will be joining the group of 125 already there as they head into all the weekend events with the holy father. They are expected to arrive around 9 p.m.
