When Pope Francis arrived at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary Saturday afternoon, Sept. 26, he met a student body and faculty roiling with excitement, and a special song. Seminarians and priests of Philadelphia traditionally toast one of their own , especially those ordained bishops, with an enthusiastic rendering of “Domine salvum fac.” The Latin saying set to soaring music and sung a capella, is translated: “Lord, make safe our Father Francis, and hear us on the day on which we call you.”
The pope resided at the seminary during his two-day stay in Philadelphia, which capped his first apostolic visit to the United States.
![Photo by D'Mont Reese](https://catholicphilly.com/media-files/2015/09/SemFS6A73_Bon99esDC-kwNS7_m_fbBeS6thZczD9EEMq8Z1Aq5YFs4yfbvXFoeH0krvVHsIfCYAv4_dNOmqT4WcA.jpg)
Onlookers crane for a glimpse of the pope as a police motorcycle detail leads his motorcade into St. Charles Seminary. (Photo by D’Mont Reese)
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Pope Francis climbs out of the simple black fiat that he used throughout his travels in the United States. (Photo by D’Mont Reese)
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