From Rockland, the Major Archbishop and the Chancellor left for the last leg of the visit – to Hempstead and Philadelphia.  At the St. Thomas Chapel, Hempstead, the Major Archbishop was welcomed by the parishioners with school band, chenda melam and thalapoli by children.  The Parish priest Fr. Ligoury J. Philips received the guests by offering flower bouquets.  At the beginning of the Holy Qurbana, Rev. Mgr. Frank Maniscalco, the pastor of the Parish addressed the congregation welcoming the Major Archbishop.  The Church was full, even though it was a working day.  The Major Archbishop congratulated the parish priest and the parishioners on their zeal for and loyalty towards preserving their gift of faith and transmitting it to the younger generation and exhorted them to be the lights burning with love and faith as witnesses of Christian faith to the fellow Christians of America.

After the celebration in Hempstead, the Major Archbishop left for Philadelphia at 10.30 p.m. and after a drive of almost two hours reached Philadelphia at 12.30 a.m. on 3 August.  In Philadelphia, the diocese of Chicago has a beautiful church of its own where Fr. John Melepuram is the Parish priest.  Not very far from here, there is also the Knanaya Mission functioning from St. Albert’s St. Albertthe Great Catholic Church, under the leadership of Fr. Mathew Manakkatt.  In the morning the Major Archbishop visited some sick and elderly parishioners and then had a television interview along with Archbishop Charles Chaput, the Archbishop of Philadelphia at his residence.  Bishop Jacob Angadiath also joined the television interview.  Later the Major Archbishop, Bishop Angadiath, Fr. Antony Kollannur, Fr. Mathew Manakkatt and Fr. John Melepuram had dinner with the Archbishop and had a very friendly chat with the Archbishop.  In the afternoon the Major Archbishop met the Trustees of the parish and later the pastoral council members where many ideas were exchanged over the church and the parish.  In the evening there was a Syro-Malabar Qurbana at the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Church for the faithful of this parish and the nearby Knanaya Mission.  The Holy Qurbana was followed by a dinner with the parishioners.

The last day of the visit of the Major Archbishop to the US was devoted to the Heritage Day organized by the Indo American Catholic Association of Philadelphia.  It began with a solemn procession with chenda melam and ornamented umbrellas in which the distinguished guests such as the Major Archbishop George Cardinal Alencherry, Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia, Bishop Jacob Angadiath, Bishop Youhanon Mar Chrisostom of Pathanamthitta, Bishop Joseph Mar Thomas of Bathery and Reverend Fathers and Sisters were led to the Church for the Holy Qurbana in St. Mary’s Syro-Malabar Church, Philadelphia.  It took more than two hours to reach the end of the celebration which was full of singing and enthusiastic participation by the congregation of around 600 consisting of Syro-Malabar, including Knanaya, Syro-Malankara and Latin Communities around the place.  During the celebration the Pioneers of the Indian Malayalee Communitee were honoured by the Major Archbishop by presenting a Palque.  After the Qurbana, there was lunch for everyone and there after the congregation was treated to a rich cultural event.  The heritage day was organized by Rev. Fr. Mathew Manakkaatt, the Spiritual Director of the year for IACA and Fr. John Melepuram, the parish priest of St. Thomas Syro Malabar Church, Philadelphia.  It was a fitting conclusion to the two week long visit of the Major Archbishop in the United States of America.  In the evening by 6.30 the Major Archbishop left for John F. Kennedy Airport, New York, to catch the flight to Dubai leaving 11.00 p.m.  The Major Archbishop reached Dubai at 19.45 on Sunday.  The next flight to Cochin was at 21.35 on Sunday which landed in Cochin at 3.15 a.m. on Monday thus bringing to a two-week long visit to the United States to a happy conclusion.