Strongholds of American Catholicism like Boston have been especially hard-hit and in contrast to previous papal visits to the United States, Boston is a rather glaring omission from Benedict's itinerary.
Benedict spoke with some victims of sexual abuse by priests on papal visits to countries including the United States and the United Kingdom, where he expressed his "deep sorrow" over the scandal.
At least 15 names were considered ahead of Bergoglio in 12 books accepting wagers on the papal election in Europe and online outside the United States.
When Benedict visited New York City in 2008, Lydia Bastianich, the doyenne of Italian cooking in the United States, produced multiple lavish feasts for the papal entourage.