Pope Francis May Address Congress in Washington, D.C. in 2015

Pope Francis hinted during an interview that he might visit Washington, D.C. next year during his trip to the United States.

The pontiff acknowledged his previously reported plans to attend the international World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia in 2015 before suggesting a visit to Washington, D.C. and New York City.

In March, House Speaker John Boehner extended an official invitation to Pope Francis to address a Joint Meeting of the United States Congress. 

After President Obama’s visit to the Vatican, he said that he “invited and urged” Pope Francis to visit the United States, adding that “people would be overjoyed to see him.”

Pope Francis made his comments during a conversation with reporters aboard the papal plane on the return flight to Rome after his South Korea visit.

The Vatican has not officially confirmed or denied any of the pope’s traveling plans for next year.