Posted January 24, 2020

As a Philadelphia priest, Archbishop-elect Nelson Perez often prayed at the shrine of Philadelphia’s saintly fourth bishop. As the next archbishop of Philadelphia, he made the shrine in North Philadelphia his first public visit Jan. 24. He and Archbishop Charles Chaput prayed at the tomb and greeted students of nearby St. Peter the Apostle School. Read all about the visit here. (Photos by Sarah Webb and Gina Christian.)

  • Archbishop Charles Chaput and Archbishop-elect Nelson Perez pray before the body of St. John Neumann as students from St. Peter the Apostle School look on. (Photo by Gina Christian)

  • Archbishop Charles Chaput and Archbishop-elect Nelson Perez greet students from St. Peter the Apostle Parish School Jan. 24 at the National Shrine of St. John Neumann, where Archbishop Perez made his first public appearance since his appointment Jan. 23 as the next archbishop of Philadelphia. (Photo by Sarah Webb)

  • Archbishop Charles Chaput and his successor, Archbishop-elect Nelson Perez, bless students of St. Peter the Apostle School Jan. 24 in Philadelphia. (Sarah Webb)

  • Sister Rosalia Frederici, S.S.N.D., principal of St. Peter the Apostle School, greets Archbishop-elect Nelson Perez and Archbishop Charles Chaput.

  • Stephen Dyson shakes Archbishop-elect Nelson J. Perez’s hand and welcomes him to the St. John Neumann Shrine and St. Peter the Apostle School Jan. 24 in Philadelphia. (Photo by Sarah Webb)

  • Sister Catherine Clark, I.H.M., who works in the Perpetual Help Center at the shrine, embraces Archbishop-elect Perez as he visits the shrine Jan. 24. Sister Catherine was principal of St. William School when then-Msgr. Perez was pastor of the parish from 2002 to 2009.

  • Sister Catherine Clark, I.H.M., who works in the Perpetual Help Center at the shrine, embraces Archbishop-elect Perez as he visits the shrine Jan. 24. Sister Catherine was principal of St. William School when then-Msgr. Perez was pastor of the parish from 2002 to 2009.

  • Philadelphia Police officers greet Archbishop Perez.

  • Archbishop-elect Perez tells the news media what the National Shrine of St. John Neumann means to him.