WASHINGTON — Pope Francis landed to a red-carpet welcome on Tuesday afternoon as he opened his first visit to the United States determined to press the world’s last superpower to do more to care for the planet and its most marginalized inhabitants.
The papal jet descended out of cloudy skies to touch down at Joint Base Andrews, the iconic post still better known as Andrews Air Force Base and home of the presidential air fleet. As he disembarked, his white robes flapping in the wind and his cap held in his hand, the pontiff was greeted by President Obama, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and their families.
Hundreds of guests invited mainly by the Apostolic Nunciature, the equivalent of an embassy, cheered as the Alitalia jet rolled along the runway and the pope made his way down the stairs. “Ho, ho, hey, hey, welcome to the U.S.A.,” they chanted at one point. At another, they chanted, “We love Francis, yes we do; We love Francis, how about you?”
While he seemed a little weary as he arrived after his visit to Cuba, Pope Francis, 78, smiled broadly and seemed delighted to be here. Mr. Obama clapped, shook his hand and then introduced his wife, Michelle, his daughters Malia and Sasha, and his mother-in-law, Marian Robinson. Mr. Biden, the first Catholic vice president, did the same with his wife, Jill, and his granddaughters Maisy and Finnegan.
More than a dozen church leaders in black robes joined the president on the tarmac, while an honor guard stood at attention and a high school band performed the Pharrell Williams song “Happy.” Four children chosen by the Vatican from local Catholic schools, two boys and two girls, greeted the pope, with one handing him flowers.
No speeches were delivered during the short and relatively modest event, leaving the real pageantry for a White House ceremony scheduled for Wednesday. After a brief stop in the visitors lounge with Mr. Obama, the pope, who has shunned some of the perks of the papacy since his ascension in 2013, climbed into a decidedly modest Fiat for the drive to the Apostolic Nunciature, where he planned to retire for the night.
The pope’s arrival started a journey spanning six days that will take him from here to New York and Philadelphia and feature several Masses celebrated before huge crowds, the first canonization on American soil, an address to Congress and not a small degree of tension over his message. Many of his themes coincide with those of Mr. Obama, but they also diverge in significant ways that could flavor the visit.
Pope Francis becomes only the third pope to visit Washington and the capital was abuzz over his arrival. A vast security cordon was established from the Capitol to the White House to the Apostolic Nunciature where he will stay, including road closures and pedestrian limits. Tens of thousands of residents and visitors from out of town prepared to converge at his various planned stops and politicians of all stripes were busy claiming his moral authority for their particular causes.
“The pope is a singular figure and he has really stirred the souls of people all around the world,” said Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary.
Pope Francis arrived here from Cuba, where he wrapped up a four-day visit on Tuesday morning in the country’s heartland of religion and revolution, visiting the shrine of the country’s patron in El Cobre and delivering his final words to the Cuban people in the nearby city of Santiago de Cuba.
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