Festival of Families

Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli will perform a free concert with the Philadelphia Orchestra on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, with Pope Francis in attendance, on Sept. 26. Additional performances throughout the day; WorldMeeting2015.org/papal-visit/festival-of-families.

 

Chamber Choir

Philly’s newest chamber choir, PhilHarmonia, offers “With the Ear of the Heart,” Sept. 20 at 7pm, at the National Shrine of St. Rita of Cascia; PhilHarmoniaSings.com and SaintRitaShrine.org (the shrine will feature other events, such as a display of St. Maria Goretti’s relics and talks).

 

Museum of the Bible Exhibit

Verbum Domini II: God’s Word Goes Out to the Nations will be on display at the Pennsylvania Convention Center Sept. 21-Sept. 26, showcasing more than 80 artifacts. See fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Psalms in Greek. Open to the public; free; MuseumoftheBible.org.

Vatican Exhibit and Legos

Vatican Splendors: A Journey Through Faith and Art will be on display starting Sept. 19 at The Franklin Institute. See a brick from St. Paul’s tomb and other objects, including a touchable cast of St. John Paul II’s hand; FI.edu/special-exhibits. Be sure to check out Philadelphian Father Bob Simon’s Lego-built Vatican replica, also at the Franklin.

 

Religious Liberty and the Founding of America

Exhibit at the National Constitution Center showcases 20 documents about freedom of religion;

ConstitutionCenter.org

 

Penn Museum

Sacred Writings: Extraordinary Texts of the Biblical World exhibit; Penn.museum

 

The Rosenbach of the Free Library of Philadelphia

Visit the exhibit Catholics in the New World: A Selection of 16th-18th Century Texts; Rosenbach.org

 

Woodmere Welcomes Pope Francis

The museum showcases biblical art from its permanent collection;

WoodmereArtMuseum.org

 

Philadelphia Museum of Art

Themed tours of religious art at the museum; PhilaMuseum.org

 

Cathedral-Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul

The Renaissance of Sacred Architecture Today lecture by architect Duncan Stroik will be held at 6:30pm on Sept. 23; a vareity of talks on saints, as well as tours, are available at the cathedral, too; CathedralPhila.org/world-meeting-of-families/.

 

World Meeting of Families Film Festival

The film fest will run Sept. 22-25. Films include Diary of a City Priest and the premiere of Urban Trinity (see interview this page). All films shown at Perelman Theater. An outdoor screening of the sing-a-long version of The Sound of Music will be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center;

KimmelCenter.org/events.