Pope Francis, a symbol of unity for the world's 1.2 billion Catholics, will address Congress Thursday morning, marking the first time a pope has bridged the church-state divide to speak to America's elected representatives.
His words will formally launch an event that would have been politically impossible through much of American history because Catholics suffered widespread discrimination, especially through the waves of immigration from Italy, Ireland and central Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
At least one Catholic congressman, Rep. Paul Gosar , has announced he would boycott the pope's appearance, to protest Francis's advocacy for strong action against global climate change and what Gosar sees as the pope's failure to speak out "with moral authority against violent Islam."
Following his address to Congress, Francis is scheduled to appear on the balcony of the Capitol's West Front, above a crowd assembled on the lawn that is expected to number up to 50,000.
