Pope Francis arrives in the US to a greeting by Barack Obama and children

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The 78-year-old pontiff landed in Washington on Tuesday at 4pm (Eastern Time) for his first visit to the US
He flew from Cuba, where he urged the Communist-run island to maintain good relations with its strong neighbor
President Obama, Michelle and their daughters Malia and Sasha met Francis when he landed at St Andrews base
The pope's arrival coincides with start of the United Nations summit for more than 100 world leaders in New York
Reports claim Obama was late, forcing the pope to wait longer than expected in the plane before disembarking
The pope's drove off in a Fiat 500 but also has a Jeep Wrangler Popemobile for public appearances

By Mia De Graaf For Dailymail.com and Reuters

Published: 14:14 EST, 22 September 2015 | Updated: 23:06 EST, 22 September 2015

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Pope Francis was greeted by President Obama and the First Family as he landed in Washington on Tuesday for his first visit to the United States.

It signals the start of a five-day tour across D.C., New York and Philadelphia for the 78-year-old Roman Catholic leader, coinciding with the United Nations summit which will see more than 100 world leaders arrive in New York.

In a rare move, the president was on the tarmac with his wife Michelle, their daughters Malia and Sasha, and Michelle's mother Marian Robinson to meet the pontiff at Joint Base Andrews at 4pm (Eastern Time).

A line of cardinals, bishops and archbishops were also stood waiting for the pope alongside crowds and a high school band, playing music in his honor. When the plane finished taxi-ing, and the red carpet was rolled out, everyone fell quiet.

There was a slightly awkward delay as the Pope waited at the open door of the plane for more than two minutes before being told it was the moment to descend onto American soil for the first time. The White House said the delay was to allow his traveling press entourage to get into position to watch it.

President Obama greeted the pontiff and introduced him to his family and Vice President Joe Biden before they walked down the line of dignitaries. The pair then got into separate motorcades.

The pope's vehicle is an Italian-made Fiat 500. During his trip, he will also be chauffeured in a Jeep Wrangler Popemobile, also manufactured by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Fiat USA tweeted, '#blessed' after the pope's vehicle departed for the Apostolic Nunciature, the Vatican's mission in Washington.

The license plate on the Fiat reads SCV 1, which means Vatican City 1. SCV stands for Status Civitatis Vaticanae, Latin for Vatican City State.

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Pope Francis has landed in the United States for a five-day tour including Washington D.C., New York and Philadelphia

It is Pope Francis's first visit to America since becoming pope in 2013

Francis, who hails from Argentina, is the fourth pope in history to visit the States

He descended the steps of the plane as it began to rain in the United States capital but unfazed crowds screamed 'Welcome to the USA!'

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama greet Pope Francis upon his arrival at Andrews Air Force Base

The president gave something of a bow as he shook the pope's hand and leaned towards him to greet him

Michelle also spoke with the pope, who speaks limited English. He is expected to give most of his speeches in Spanish during the visit

Both the First Lady and the pope had their outfits billow in the wind as they made the historic meet and greet

Malia (shaking the pope's hand) and Sasha beamed as they greeted the Roman Catholic leader on Tuesday afternoon

President Obama and his daughter Sasha (left) arrive to greet Pope Francis at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington D.C.

Elder daughter Malia looked thrilled to be out of school and standing at such a historic event

Pope Francis greets a group of young children with President Obama, whose younger daughter Sasha also looked very pleased to be there

Francis shakes hands with Vice President Joe Biden on the tarmac

Biden (pictured, left) attended the welcoming ceremony with his wife Jill

Joe Biden (second from right) and his wife Jill (right) walk with their daughters and mother-in-law of President Barack Obama, Marian Shields Robinson (left) to greet Pope Francis

Supporters cheer for Pope Francis and hold up their phones to snatch a photograph after he arrived from Cuba

Francis arrives from Cuba, where he urged a continued reconciliation between the Communist-run island and its superpower neighbor. He helped broker the landmark diplomatic deal between America and Cuba in December last year.

His decision to go from Cuba to the world's most powerful and richest nation is symbolic as he implores the Church to embrace outsiders.

Cindy Wooden, Rome bureau chief for Catholic News Service, was on board the Washington-bound plane with the pope, who told her about his time in Cuba, denying suggestions he is a 'liberal' or 'Leftie'. 'I have never said anything more than what is in church social teaching,' he said.

Obama and Francis will meet again on Wednesday at the White House.

The Argentine-born leader will then parade past major monuments before a crowd expected to number well into the tens of thousands.

Hundreds of steel crowd-control fences and dozens of portable toilets had been put in place by Tuesday morning near the Washington Monument along the route and Vatican flags hung on light poles.

It is rare for the president and the First Family to personally welcome any leader as they land

The pope appeared interested as Obama spoke to him on the tarmac. The pair will discuss Cuba and environmental concerns this week

The clergy brace for the wind as they stand along the red carpet on the tarmac waiting for Pope Francis's arrival at Andrews Air Force Base

The pontiff appeared animated as the president personally introduced him to his daughters and then to waiting archbishops

Pope Francis greets cardinals as he is escorted through a line of people eager to meet him by President Barack Obama

A line of cardinals and archbishops were also stood waiting for the pope. Michelle's mother Marian (left of Michelle) was also there

Members of the clergy looked ecstatic to be stood with the pope as they appeared to laugh at something the president said

A group of smartly-dressed children were on-hand to welcome the pope with a bouquet of flowers

The four students from first, third, fifth and seventh grade attend Catholic schools in the Washington, D.C., area

As the children walk off, the pope smiles, clutching his zucchetto (hat) which almost blew off in the wind

Obama will meet with the pope in Washington on Wednesday before a reception for 15,000 people

Coinciding with the United Nations summit, the pope's visit is part of the biggest security operation in American history

The very different leaders shared smiles as they made way inside

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Pope Francis departs Joint Base Andrews in a tiny Fiat after arriving in the United States for the first time after a few days in Cuba

During his trip, he will be chauffeured in a Jeep Wrangler Popemobile, also manufactured by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

There was widespread excitement among the crowds and TV viewers at the site of the pope's humble black Fiat 500 on the tarmac

The pope peered out of the window of the car, which has the Vatican flag pinned to the hood, as he was driven away

Despite swarming security detail, Francis eagerly peered past them to wave at the crowds

The pope's car was dwarfed by the security SUVs that escorted him from the air base to his residence in D.C.

Crowds lined spots along the blocked off roadways, cameraphones held high, to catch a glimpse at the Pontiff

Crowds were even waiting behind barriers outside the pope's residence in Washington, D.C., as he pulled up behind security detail

His white-cuffed hand can be seen reaching towards the far window to show his appreciation for his supporters

The license plate on the Fiat reads SCV 1, which means Vatican City 1. SCV stands for Status Civitatis Vaticanae, Latin for Vatican City State

Pope Francis enters the Apostolic Nunciature, the Vatican's diplomatic mission in the heart of Washington

The pope has electrified liberal-leaning U.S. Catholics with his shift in emphasis towards forgiveness and concern for the poor.

But he has also dismayed some conservative followers with comments of concern over climate change and a pivot away from messages focused on the church's ban on birth control and opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage.

'It would be a tragedy if the pope and the Catholic church bought into the standards of society and fell away from the eternal truth of humanity,' said Margaret Uglow, 74, as she paused on her way into a lunchtime mass at a Washington church. 'We see all around us the sorrowful results of society's standards.'

Francis, on his first visit to the United States, was also expected to talk about immigration, a top issue for him since his first days as pope in 2013.

Immigration has become a hot-button topic during early stages of the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign with Republican front-runner Donald Trump and other candidates proposing building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border to stem crossings and ending birthright citizenship.

Touching down on Tuesday, he comes bearing a message that the power Washington symbolizes should be made to serve humanity

As the plane was being taxied, the pilot opened the front side windows to fly a Star Spangled Banner and the Vatican flag

Members of the clergy brace for the wind as they stand along the red carpet on the tarmac at Andrews Air Force Base

Servicemen practiced rolling out the red carpet numerous times before the pontiff eventually landed at 4pm

The Obamas walked out on to the tarmac after the airplane landed in a rare gesture to greet the pope as soon as he steps into the US

Sasha Obama (center) and her sister Malia (right) joined First Lady Michelle (left) and President Obama to greet the Pope at the airport

Crowds of people stood packed behind a fence in excitement as the pope's airplane was taxied at St Andrews base on Tuesday afternoon

'He's bringing to the fore some of the most important issues of the day facing humanity, focusing on the dignity of the person, the dignity of all persons,' said Elizabeth Defeis, professor of international law at Seton Hall University and an adviser to the Holy See's permanent observer mission to the United Nations.

'He is such a popular figure, and the combination of his charisma and the platform that he will be speaking from will help bring all these issues to the forefront,' Defeis said.

Francis was also likely to be criticized for the Church's handling of a scandal over clergy sex abuse of minors and its treatment of gay, lesbian and transgender Catholics.

A poll released on Monday showed that 51 percent of Americans viewed Francis favorably, with just 9 percent of respondents to an MSNBC/Telemundo/Marist poll reporting an unfavorable view.

Francis' visit will also include the first address by any pope to the U.S. Congress on Thursday, a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday and an open-air Mass in Philadelphia where 1.5 million people were expected to attend.

POPE IN AMERICA: FRANCIS'S ITINERARY ON HIS FIRST TRIP TO THE UNITED STATES

Pope Francis, who has never been to the United States before, will arrive from Cuba at Andrews Air Force Base, near Washington D.C. on Tuesday, September 22.

WEDNESDAY: WASHINGTON D.C.

9.15am: Welcome ceremony and meeting with President Obama at the White House

11am: Papal Parade along the Ellipse and the National Mall (time approximate)

11.30am: Midday Prayer with the bishops of the United States, St. Matthew's Cathedral

4.15pm: Mass of Canonization of Junipero Serra, Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

THURSDAY: WASHINGTON D.C. AND NEW YORK

9.20am: Address to Joint Meeting of the United States Congress

11.15am: Visit to St. Patrick in the City and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington

4pm: Depart from Joint Base Andrews

5pm: Arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport

6.45pm: Evening Prayer (Vespers) at St. Patrick's Cathedral

FRIDAY: NEW YORK

8.30am: Visit to the United Nations and address to the United Nations General Assembly

11.30am: Multi-religious service at 9/11 Memorial and Museum, World Trade Center

4pm: Visit to Our Lady Queen of Angels School, East Harlem

5pm: Procession through Central Park (time approximate)

6pm: Mass at Madison Square Garden

A worker walks through rows of chairs being set up in preparation of the Pope Francis visit at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington

SATURDAY: NEW YORK AND PHILADELPHIA

8.40am: Departure from John F. Kennedy International Airport

9.30am: Arrival at Atlantic Aviation, Philadelphia

10.30am: Mass at Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, Philadelphia

4.45pm: Visit to Independence Mall

7.30pm: Visit to the Festival of Families Benjamin Franklin Parkway

SUNDAY: PHILADELPHIA

9.15am: Meeting with bishops at St. Martin's Chapel, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary

11am: Visit to Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility

4pm: Mass for the conclusion of the World Meeting of Families, Benjamin Franklin Parkway

7pm: Visit with organizers, volunteers and benefactors of the World Meeting of Families, Atlantic Aviation

8pm: Departure for Rom

Excitement: Crowds are waiting by the White House for the pontiff to arrive on Tuesday afternoon, with these t-shirts being sold outside

A pedi cab rides past metal barricades placed on the route Pope Francis will take in New York's Central Park on Tuesday

The pope will be in New York (pictured by Central Park West) on Thursday for two days. It is not yet known if he will speak at the UN

'The holy father said Philadelphia and our gathering here are the central reason for his visit to the United States,' said Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput. 'His visit here is an irreplaceable moment.'

A massive security presence is planned in all three cities, with special measures in place across 4.5 square miles (11.7 square kilometers) of Philadelphia on Sunday.

'This is going to be one of the largest lifts in the nation's history for national security events,' James Yacone, assistant director of the FBI's Critical Incident Response Group, told reporters this week. 'That all has to be very skillfully thought out - how we're going to protect him, allow access of the public at different venues, and do it in such a manner that law enforcement can screen as many people as possible to keep it secure.'