De Blasio praises Pope Francis as 'the conscience of this world' ahead of NYC visit

DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU

Updated: Wednesday, September 2, 2015, 9:59 PM

NYC PAPERS OUT. Social media use restricted to low res file max 184 x 128 pixels and 72 dpi

The upcoming visit of Pope Francis — “the conscience of the world” — will be a tremendous moment for New Yorkers, Mayor de Blasio said on Wednesday.

“He is one of the most respected and revered leaders in the world today,” the mayor said. “He is the person who is speaking most clearly on the issues that challenge us — poverty, income inequality and climate change,” he said.

“The Pope’s voice is uncompromising and clear and showing a way forward for this entire Earth. So, so many New Yorkers share my enthusiasm and my passion and the sense that this will be a tremendously important moment for all of us.”

De Blasio announced this week that Pope Francis would hold a procession through Central Park on Sept. 25, with tickets available by lottery. “We want to make sure as many people as possible have a chance to see His Holiness,” he said. “We’re very excited about it — a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see His Holiness in Central Park.”

Tickets will be available starting Thursday through Monday, Sept. 7, at nyc.gov/papalvisit or by calling 311. Any New York State resident can request two tickets, and recipients will be chosen at random. Winners will be notified by Sept. 10. The exact number of tickets has not been set but it will be in the tens of thousands, according to the mayor’s office.

De Blasio, who has Catholic roots but does not practice the religion, said he wants to grab as much face time as he can with the pontiff.

The mayor announced this week that Pope Francis would hold a procession through Central Park on Sept. 25, with tickets available by lottery.

Gov. Cuomo, speaking at a separate event in the city, said it’s not going to be an easy task to prepare for the visit. “I don’t know if New York could really be ready to host the Pope,” he said, noting that “whenever you have millions of people mobilizing throughout the city, I mean it’s not going to be an easy task, but it’s going to be a great couple days.”

The governor added, “We’re all very, very excited about it. I’m a Catholic, and the Pope has really energized the Catholic community and he has energized all sorts of religious communities all across the globe. He’s really an extraordinary man.”

It’s unclear how much the city will spend on security for the three-day visit, but the Secret Service is heading up the security effort, de Blasio said.

Besides the Central Park jaunt, the Pope plans to say Mass at Madison Square Garden and St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and celebrate an interfaith service at the 9/11 Memorial. He will also visit the Our Lady Queen of Angels School in East Harlem.

With Rich Schapiro