Pope Francis came to Washington on Tuesday for the first visit of his life to the United States, bringing his "church of the poor" to the world's wealthiest superpower and a country polarized over issues closest to his heart: immigration, social injustice and economic inequality.
President Barack Obama and his family greeted Francis on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews upon his arrival from Cuba, according a rare honor to the pontiff. Presidents usually make important visitors come to them at the White House.
Emerging from the plane to boisterous cheers from a crowd of hundreds, the smiling 78-year-old pontiff removed his skullcap in the windy weather and made his way down the steps in his white robes.
He was met by a military honor guard, schoolchildren, politicians, and Roman Catholic clergymen in black robes and brightly colored sashes of scarlet and purple. Vice President Joe Biden and his wife were among those who welcomed him.
From there, the pope rode in a small charcoal-gray Fiat as part of a motorcade bound for the Vatican diplomatic mission in Washington, where Francis will stay while in the capital.
During his six-day, three-city visit to the U.S., the pope will meet with Obama, address Congress, speak at the United Nations in New York and take part in a Vatican-sponsored conference on the family in Philadelphia.
The Argentine known as the "slum pope" for ministering to the downtrodden in his native Buenos Aires is expected to urge America to take better care of the environment and the poor and return to its founding ideals of religious liberty and open arms toward immigrants.
Francis' enormous popularity, propensity for wading into crowds and insistence on using an open-sided Jeep rather than a bulletproof popemobile have complicated things for U.S. law enforcement, which has mounted one of the biggest security operations in American history to keep him safe.
"One big thing, he's never been here before and he doesn't really know this country," Vatican analyst John Thavis told Local 10 News anchor Laurie Jennings. "…I think he realizes that a lot of his messages are popular in this country, but some are unpopular. And I think he really does feel, 'I have to get to know this country.'"
The measures are unprecedented for a papal trip and could make it nearly impossible for many ordinary Americans to get anywhere close to Francis. For anyone hoping to get across town when the pope is around, good luck.
In addition to his Vatican security staff, Francis will be protected by the U.S. Secret Service during his visit.
"He'll shake hands," Thavis said. "He'll kiss babies, and people will actually throw things into his vehicle, little gifts or roses or flowers, mostly flower pedals."
Archdiocese of Miami spokeswoman Mary Ross Agosta was on hand to watch the pope's arrival. She said this is her fifth time taking part in a papal visit.
"Every time the air Alitalia plane lands and the Holy Father walks out the door, it just brings tears to my eyes," she said.
Agosta said it was "marvelous" to see Francis walk down the steps smiling at the more than 1,000 who gathered to see the pope arrive. She said she wasn't close enough to touch him, but was "certainly close enough that I could see the smile and I could see the buttons on the president's suit."
For all the attention likely to be paid to Francis' speeches, including the first address from a pope to Congress, his more personal gestures -- visiting with immigrants, prisoners and the homeless -- could yield some of the most memorable images of the trip.
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