Closed. Meantime, the pope wrapped up a full day of emotional events in new york city. Earlier this evening, he celebrated mass in front of thousands at Madison Square garden. Right now the pope is resting in new york city before he journeys here to philadelphia first thing in the morning. Good evening to you from the Benjamin Franklin parkway. Im jessica dean. Ukee washington is off tonight. The stage is set. Were ready to go this stage will host pope francis very soon and we have live team three coverage for you tonight. We begin our coverage with david spunt who is live in new york city. David . Reporter jessica, i hope pope francis is saving some of that energy he has had a busy week. New york the past two days was no exception. To night though a big highlight for many, a mass that pope francis celebrated with the public at Madison Square garden in front of 20,000. Pope francis asked thousands of worshipers at Madison Square garden to remember immigrant, the poor and homeless in new york city. The popes theme living in big city is not always easy. Big cities are a reminder of the hidden richness present in our world with the diversity of cultures, traditions and historical experiences. Reporter on his way to mass he paraded through central park in the pope mobile in front of about 80,000 people. They just kept screaming pa papa, papa, papa. A once in a lifetime thing. I dont know what to say. I have goose bumps. Reporter the pope add dreft the General Assembly at the United Nations and met with 9 11 victims family members. The moment that made him light up the most was meeting students in harlem he posed for pictures with students before walking inside. Reporter dont forget homework. Reporter as the pope wrapped up the trip the focus started to shift towards philadelphia we found one woman considering make the trip after seeing the pope in new york. I have a friend that lives there and hes been telling me that theyve been preparing for this, you know, for months and months and months and everybody is really excited. Reporter a lot of people have passed the pope white roses. We are told that that is the popes favorite saint saint terese sat little flower. She lived in the late 1800s he has a photograph of her on his desk he actually put a white rose down at the 9 11 memorial earlier this morning in lower manhattan. Were live tonight in new york city, david spunt cbs3 Eyewitness News. Jessica, back to you. Quite a day, david. Thanks so much. Back here in philadelphia, the excitement continues to build and we have you covered from all angles of the city. We have cameras spread out all over philadelphia and we want to show you some of them right now. This is the ben franklin parkway where well be working all weekend long. Check this out. A beautiful shot from above the parkway courtesy of our high tech high powered camera. This is what it looked like earlier today. It was actually zooming in. It can zoom in from three quarters of a mile away. And heres a look at the camera itself that has high powered lense thats giving us the amazing view from far away and tonight chopper three befinned hence Pennsylvania Hall the landmark will be the back drop for the popes immigration speech tomorrow. As you can imagine et cetera crunch time when it comes to preparing for pope francis to arrive here in philadelphia. Our Todd Quinones has been here along the parkway all this afternoon and evening. Todd, youve seen them finishing touches and getting ready and also to a star sighting we hear. Reporter yes. That is true jessica. Yes, indeed we can report our first star sighting here in philadelphia. The first of many stars but of course the biggest star stars te bigger star of them he remains in new york city tonight. Mark wahlberg who will emcee the festival of families saturday was on stage friday night. We watched as the star walked through some of the rehearsals. Hell be introducing among others arena franklin and andre ya bocelli. Please come up to the stage. Before the festivities begin theres still work to be done. Long days. A lot of guys been here 20 hours a day doing a couple shifts. Reporter cbs3 got up close look at the look stage where pope francis will be and what his view will look like down the parkway. Once the events end here saturday night, crews will have just 10 hours to change it once more. Completely different set for sunday. For sunday all this goes away and we have a completely different setup to put overnight for the mass on sunday. Reporter security remains high for the popes visit Police CommissionerCharles Ramsay told us officers days off were canceled for this weekend. Were going to have a considerable complement of people down here. But we have a lot of people out in the neighborhoods patrolling because we have to have balance. I mean this is a major event, but we still have a city to manage. Reporter and because of all the good weather weve been having, there havent were it in weather delays. So crews getting everything read here tell me they have remained ahead of schedule. Roaring live tonight along the parkway, Todd Quinones cbs3 Eyewitness News. All right, todd, thanks so much. And as the popes rival draws closer, security gets tighter. If you were in center city today you certainly noticed that. Eyewitness News Reporter diana rocco is live in center city with a look at all of the measures now in place. Diana, this is extensive. Reporter it is, jessica. And certainly a whole different feel down here tonight. Were live on broad street outside what will be the most secure perimeter come tomorrow morning you can see the barricades are up and the security checkpoint is in place. Those in the distance are the metal detectors the crowds will be fumbling through come tomorrow morning. Originally it was thought there would be nearly 2 Million People here this weekend. In recent days those estimates have gone down so tonight we asked the governor if he thought that all of this security was affecting the masses. Center city is locked down. Metal detectors are up at the most secure perimeters and barricades are blocking vehicle traffic. Out of towners are pouring in and ready for the pontiffs visit. This group of more than 100 came all the way from phoenix. Really excited. Really exciting for me cause i visited the pope a couple times already. Reporter National Guards men at their post at nearly every corner with tighter security here than new york and d. C. We asked the governor if the extensive measures will be keeping away the faithful. The other cities didnt have the open events that we have here. Thats a balancing act. You cant just throw things open and hopes it work out. Youve got to do some planning. Reporter the governor will greet the pope when he plans saturday and attendance at his masses. The proofs in the pudding but weve done everything we can to make this safe visit but pleasant one for the people here. Reporter volunteers an inform comings and nora mull vain knee say the measures are well worth it. We need the security. You dont know whats around the corner. Watching it on tv, washington and new york, it real its good you more excited. Reporter expected crowds or not the Street Vendors are cashing in selling memorabilia and even a selfie with pope francis. How many have you done today. About a hundred. Reporter wow. 5. You stand behind me and i sake a selfie. Take a selfie. This is selling for 5 pop . Yeah. Reporter so the answer to the question is well have to wait and see exactly how many people show up this weekend. They shall have a better idea by monday or tuesday of next week. But the city says, no matter what the number, they are prepared. Were live in center city tonight, diana rocco cbs3 Eyewitness News. All right, diana, thanks so much. Aside from all the security measures in place here in philadelphia, across the river in Camden County theres an additional security plan in place for everyone whose living and staying over there. Across the river there are three ways to access philadelphia. Train, ferry and walking over the ben franklin bridge. If you have to park your car there are about 8,000 spots available and Officials Say you can pay on the same day. They are asking everyone whose planning to visit philly through camden to register their cars online. We are ready. Our Police Officers and Public Servants will be out on the pedestrian routes. Theyre there to help you. They are ambassadors. State troopers more than two other dozen public off cease are stayinged at the iconic Campbell Soup head cars. Theyll be monitoring traffic and emergency situations. As we get closer to the weekend everyone eyes on the forecast wanting to know if the rain will hold off. Kate bilo has been tracking a storm season and joins us now with the first forecast. Kate . Jessica the good news so far the weather is behaving pretty much exactly as we had wants pated. We started the day with sunshine. The clouds have rolled in. Our coastal low is definitely still there and still looking strong. But the good news it look like most of the weekend will be dry. Were out here along the parkway i have great Vantage Point of the clouds rolling in. Got the ben franklin parkway i like to call it jumbo tron alley set up behind me right now and its dry for now. It look like it will stay dry tomorrow. I know that looks scary on storm scan3 but notice that rain is really not pushing north. Thanks to High Pressure keeping it suppressed to the south but with clouds and breezy conditions it is cool outside tonight. Temperature right now only in the 60s across the vast majority of the area. And feeling chilly as we head into the overnight hours well drop down into the 50s its northeast breeze winds about five to 10 miles an hour. Not too strong right now but thats making it feel cool and coming up ill have more on that papal outlook as we head through the weekend what to expect for all the different events as temperatures head to the 70s for the next couple of days. Well time out the chance for showers as well and for now jessica back over to you. All right, kate, check it out with in you little bit as well. After four days of activities the world meeting of Families Congress has closed. They a lot of people over there at the Pennsylvania Convention zen. Many took pride in contributing to this lar large mural set a Guiness World Record for the most contributions to a paint by number piece anyone who want to do contribute including former governor tom corbett and his wife susan. The mural will be permanent display at saint mal low can is school in north philadelphia. Stay with Eyewitness News for continuing coverage of the historic event. Well bring you live nonstop coverage all weekend long. Showcasing all of the major events during the pontiffs visit. Weve got you covered right here tv and also at cbsphilly. Com. Now after the popes departure, philadelphia was supposed to welcome another highpowered wellknown world figure to the city. But now thats not happening. Still ahead at 11 00 night why the dalai lama canceled his upcoming october visit to the united states. Plus a shocking resignation. House Speaker John Boehner gets emotional when he announces hes calling it quits. Why he says its time to move on. And bucks county family is counting down the hours to an extraordinary opportunity. The role theyll play during sundays papal mass when we return. Back now on Eyewitness News, a live look at the ben franklin parkway where you see the popes chair is in place. The pope will land in philadelphia in a little more than 10 hours. And no one may be more excited about the pope coming here to philadelphia than mayor michael nutter. He stopped by our studio just little bit ago and told me its game time. If youre out on the street, folks are having a ball out there. Theyre very very excited. I was out first thing that the this morning. People were already commenting on how beautiful philadelphia is. I met people from on the parts of philadelphia, people from halfway around the worldly peel are very very excited about this. Folks should come on down and really enjoy all that this special moment is going to be. Mayor nutter also told me hes most excited to formally welcome the pope when he comes off the plane tomorrow. With the papal mass unfolds here on the ben franklin parkway one bucks county family may be closer than most to the pope. Our Natasha Brown has their story. Natasha . Reporter this is a very exciting opportunity for a bucks county family. They have been given very special duties during the papal mass. And they are looking forward to being in the presence of the pontiff. Theyre an ordinary family about to embark on an extraordinary opportunity. Quiet honor for our family to. the gifts. The devout catholic family will represent Saint Andrews parish in newtown by. ing the gifts during the historic mass led by pope francis along the ben franklin parkway. Huge crowds are expected to flood the area to celebrate mass and no one is more excited about being in the presence of the pontiff more than the izzys. Monsignor had called bob and asked him if we would take up the gifts at the papal mass at Saint Andrews parish. When you bring the gifts up at mass youre really representing all the lives of the people who are attending mass. We want to present the gifts of our lives, of the things we do for others. Reporter her mother claire who will be helping the chance avenue lifetime after being a faithful servant of the Catholic Church her entire life. I am so thrilled. I feel like ive been flying in the air. I dont feel like im down here. Theres still a shrowd of secrecy surrounding the details of the mass. We do not know any detail at this point. Were still in the dark. The iz seem i familiar al fine example of people who practice their faith sincerely devoutly and regularly as well. So to me as pastor thats a wonderful gift to have people like that. Reporter they like so many around the world embraced pope francis humility and loving spirit with open arms. I like hes such an advocate for the poor. Hes such a loving man. If they can ask him to do one thing it would be this. Bless us all. Bless the country. Reporter the entire izzy family will be bringing up the gusts during the papal mass. They say theyre a little bit nervous but more proud than ever to be able to be in the presence of the holy father. Meantime the dalai lama has cancel his trip to the us next month which included a visit to philadelphia. He was to receive the Liberty Medal at the National Constitution center. Doctors are advising him to re rest. The 80yearold was at the mayo clinic this week for what was described as a checkup. The National Constitution center issued a statement. Our thoughts and prayers are with the dalai lama as he recovers his strength. We look forward to honoring his holy less contributions to world piece and individual freedom at the Liberty Medal ceremony on objection 26. And are working with his office to a range for him to accept the award through a representative. A limited number of free public tickets will be available beginning thursday, objection first at 10am. And now to a size mick shift of power on capitol hill. House Speaker John Boehner dropped a bombshell today by announcing hes resigning from congress. Choking back tears, Speaker Boehner told reporters the turmoil in the house led to his decision to quit. The Ohio Republican has faced strong opposition from conservatives who claim he was not fighting hard enough to defund planned parenthood. Even though doing so would risk a government shut down. Its become clear to me that this prolonged leadership turmoil would do epp pep rabble harm to the institution. Boehner became speaker in 2011. He was first elected to congress in 1990. His resignation is effective objection 30th now for more on the pope in philadelphia, lets send things back out to jessica on the ben franklin parkway. All right, natasha, thanks so much. A lot of people of course thousands and thousands of them headed here to philadelphia to see pope francis but a lot of others are saying well take little vacation this weekend. Well go down the shore and mack get away from the crowds so we check in with them. Eyewitness news on the ocean city boardwalk today where many people are take wagon they call a pope indication. We spoke to one couple from warminster who told us they traveled because they were afraid of gridlock that their town. We are on a pope vacation. Pope vation. Whatever. Were fleeing philadelphia id love to see the pope but hes nervous nilly. So were leaving. Im doing this for a Mental Health break because this is my yearly thing. Well the shore cant promise sunshine and beach weather this weekend. Theres still plenty to do and see and unlike the city, hey, theres no vehicle checkpoints. Now with that being said, a lot of peoples eyes are on the sky. So many of the events this weekend are outside and Everyone Wants to know if the weather will hold. Got a little clue dee this afternoon. Kate bilo is joining us now with her forecast. Kate . Jessica, so far the forecast is panning out exactly as we had expected. The clouds rolled in right on schedule this afternoon and it does loon like the clouds will stickie round for much of the weekend. The good news its still doesnt look as though rain will be a huge factor this weekend. Maybe a few