Pope Francis lands in the United States

Greeted by President Obama

Pope Francis has landed in the United States more than 10 minutes ahead of schedule. Flying in an Alitalia jet with Vatican and American flags flying from the cockpit, Pope landed at Joint Base Andrews.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The Pope was greeted by Obama, along with First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Biden, his wife, Jill Biden and other members of both families.

Walking down a pink carpet, under cloudy skies the Pope set foot in the United States for the first time.

"The White House said the welcoming party also included the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See Kenneth Hackett, Washington Archbishop Cardinal Donald Wuerl, and Joseph E. Kurtz, President of the US. Conference of Catholic Bishops," according to the Washington Post.

Four children from different Catholic schools in Washington, DC were also selected by the Vatican to greet the Holy Father.
 
The tarmac was transformed into a spiritual meeting, as hundreds of children and young adults looked on, playing music and singing to warm up for the Pope's arrival.

One thousand people were expected, but because of slow and long security lines, the crowd was mostly full of young people.

"They sang 'Louie, Louie,' 'Sweet Caroline,' and chanted 'we love Francis, yes we do' back and forth between the risers," reported the Washington Post.

Pope Francis will now travel to the Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See to the United States on Massachusetts Avenue NW, where he will stay during his visit in Washington until Thursday.

He will be greeted by about three dozen greeters patiently awaiting his arrival singing hymns in Spanish and dancing in a circle.

"It's like how people want to shake hands with a rocker at a concert. Just like that," explained Luis Padilla who will be able to mark seeing a pope off his bucket list.