Nutter, Chaput headed to Rome for papal trip planning

Mayor Nutter and Archbishop Charles J. Chaput are heading back Rome at the head of a Philadelphia delegation making final preparations for Pope Francis' visit to the city.

The group will spend June 22-25 in various meetings to finalize planning for both the World Meeting of Families and the papal visit, the Archdiocese said in a release.

They did not say whether the delegation would meet the Holy Father.

The delegation is also expected to give some updates to the public in various press conferences on topics unknown.

"We know what we need to do to prepare for the World Meeting of Families - Philadelphia 2015 and the visit from his Holiness, Pope Francis," Nutter said in a statement. "Part of that planning includes meeting with our Vatican counterparts because, as any business person will tell you, nothing can replace the value of meeting your partners face to face."

The World Meeting of Families Congress will take place Sept. 22-25 in Philadelphia. It is the first of the Catholic meetings to be held in the United States and already 15,000 people have registered from more than 150 countries.

Pope Francis is expected to end his U.S. tour in Philadelphia Sept. 26th and 27th. Both events are expected to draw more than 1.5 million people to the city.

The delegation last traveled to the Vatican in March 2014.