MIAMI – Pope Francis will make his first official visit to the United States on Wednesday.
The pope will be touring three cities in the Northeast. The Archdiocese of Miami has planned a pilgrimage for hundreds of their parishioners.
William Young is going to Washington, where the pope will be from Sept. 22 until he departs for New York on Sept. 24. Barbara Flynn and Jose Zarranz are going to Philadelphia, where the pope is scheduled to arrive from New York on Sept. 26.
"It is a pilgrimage, not a vacation," Flynn said. "And so just to be a part of that, and to experience it -- it is a part of history and it is part of my spiritual journey."
SAVE THIS LINK: Pope Francis' official itinerary in Cuba, U.S.
Zarranz is a Cuban American. He said he will be following the Pope's visit to the Communist island before he goes to Philadelphia, where he plans to hand out Rosaries that he made himself.
"No matter what the controversies are, no matter what the country is going through, there are Catholics that still believe in the Catholic Church," Zarranz said. "And they believe in him and they want him as our spiritual guide."
Young does a daily Podcast called "Prayer N' Lunch." He is going to take a 22 hour bus ride to Washington D.C. to see the Pope Francis. He said he admires the Pope's message of giving back.
"We feel as Catholics whatever you do for the least of them you are doing for God," Young said. "He is a saint on earth. I mean, if this guy doesn't make saint, I don't know who will. He is showing by example what we should be doing."
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