Pope Francis will use the Gettysburg Lectern, which was used by President Abraham Lincoln to deliver the Gettysburg Address, for his appearance at Independence Hall on Saturday, September 26, where he will address the issues of immigration and religious liberty.

Lincoln used the lectern on November 19, 1863 to dedicate part of the Civil War battlefield at Gettysburg as a cemetery. It is currently on display at the Sir John Templeton Heritage Center at The Union League of Philadelphia. Later in August, it will be prepared by historic conservators for use by the Holy Father.

The Independence Hall address is scheduled for 4:45 p.m., followed by the Festival of Families Gala on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

“With Independence Hall, the most historic building in America, selected as an official site for the Papal visit in June, it seemed only appropriate to provide the Holy Father with the opportunity  to deliver his message to the world from the lectern at which President Lincoln gave the most famous speech in American history,” said Robert J. Ciaruffoli, President of the World Meeting of Families.