Archbishop Blase Cupich surprised Chicagoans with a visit to Rome Wednesday alongside Pope Francis.
Cupich made the trip with the Catholic Extension Board of Governors and other staff members of the organization, according to the Chicago priest Rev. Jack Wall, the head of the Catholic Extension Society. The archbishop arranged the trip so the members could meet Pope Francis.
The archbishop also gifted Pope Francis with the personal cross of Blessed Junipero Serra, who will be canonized during the pope's visit to the U.S. later this month. The cross was lent to Cupich by the Diocese of Monterey, California.
Video on Twitter shows Cupich and other members of the Catholic Extension Society shaking hands with the pope.
#PopeFrancis greeting @ArchbishopBlase and group from the Catholic Extension Society after today's audience @cnalive pic.twitter.com/FZpefHd7UG — Alan Holdren (@AlanHoldren) September 2, 2015
#PopeFrancis blesses cross for @ArchbishopBlase in Rome with @CathExtension pic.twitter.com/h9Fm7WEn2j — Catholic News Svc (@CatholicNewsSvc) September 2, 2015
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It is not clear how long Cupich will be in Rome. The trip was not listed on the archbishop's public schedule.
