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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.
WASHINGTON — Pope Francis landed to a red-carpet welcome on Tuesday 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.
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. His white robes flapping in the breeze and his skullcap held in his hand rather than on his head, 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?”
The exuberant but unassuming ceremony seemed designed especially for a pope who has inspired millions around the world with a humbler, more populist approach to the papacy. Hundreds of guests cheered, an honor guard stood at attention and a high school band performed the Pharrell Williams song “Happy.” Four children from local Roman Catholic schools greeted him, with one handing him flowers.
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.
“Ho, ho, hey, hey, welcome to the U.S.A.,” the crowd chanted at one point. At another, it chanted, “We love Francis, yes we do. We love Francis, how about you?”
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.
But there was little of the pageantry that awaits him at the White House on Wednesday. And the pope, who has made a point of shunning some of the perks of his exalted position since his ascension in 2013, then climbed into a decidedly modest Fiat 500L hatchback for the ride to the Apostolic Nunciature, the equivalent of an embassy, where he was staying.
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 inaugurated 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.
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.
Many of his themes coincide with those of Mr. Obama, but some 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.
Francis became 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, including road closings and pedestrian limits. Tens of thousands of residents and visitors prepared to converge at his planned stops, and politicians of all stripes were busy claiming his moral authority for their 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.
“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.
Francis arrived here from Cuba, where he concluded a four-day visit on Tuesday morning in its 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.
He celebrated Mass at a church near the mountains of the Sierra Maestra that houses the 19th century shrine of the Virgin of Charity. The shrine holds the country’s most venerated Roman Catholic icon: a small wooden statue of the Virgin Mary that was found in the nets of local fishermen more than 400 years ago.
He celebrated Mass at a church near the mountains of the Sierra Maestra that houses the 19th-century shrine of the Virgin of Charity. The shrine holds the country’s most venerated Catholic icon: a small wooden statue of the Virgin Mary found in the nets of local fishermen more than 400 years ago. Afterward, he delivered an ode to family at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption in Santiago de Cuba.
Afterward, he delivered an ode to the family as his final address at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption in Santiago de Cuba, drawing a parallel between the lessons of God and lessons of the home.
While some had hoped he would raise the issues of human rights and political liberty with his Cuban hosts, Francis opted instead to be cautious. He did not meet with Cuban dissidents or directly challenge President Raúl Castro or his brother, Fidel, though some analysts interpreted several of his comments as veiled disapproval of the government’s ideological bent.
“Without family, without the warmth of home, life grows empty, there is a weakening of the networks which sustain us in adversity, nurture us in daily living and motivate us to build a better future,” he told those in attendance.
Carlos Alzugaray Treto, a Cuban former diplomat close to the Castros, said the pope’s restrained remarks worked to the advantage of both Cuba’s president and Mr. Obama because they allowed the two countries to continue their push toward normal relations. “It’s a win-win situation for these three guys,” he said. “They all want the same thing.”
The president’s personal welcome was a sign of respect. Presidents rarely greet foreign visitors at Andrews, instead waiting for them to make their way to the White House. The only time Mr. Obama has gone to Andrews to meet a head of state was last year when President François Hollande of France was visiting – and only because the two then boarded Air Force One to fly to Charlottesville, Va.
Speaking with reporters on the flight to the United States, Francis disagreed with the suggestion that he had been “soft” on the Cuban government, describing the trip as pastoral and intended to give hope to ordinary people. He said he turned down all requests for private meetings, including one with visiting heads of state, but added that the Vatican’s ambassador invited dissidents to his appearance at the cathedral in Santiago.
But President George W. Bush made an exception in 2008, when Pope Benedict XVI arrived for a visit, and Mr. Obama decided to follow suit. Mr. Biden, the nation’s first Catholic vice president, was eager to join him. It was the first encounter between Mr. Obama and Pope Francis since they first met at the Vatican last year.
Even as Newsweek asked on its cover, “Is the Pope Catholic?” Francis rejected the notion that he is an anticapitalist leftist not committed enough to church teachings.
The White House sought to highlight the alignment between the president and the pope, while de-emphasizing areas of discord. “Both President Obama and Pope Francis have over the course of their careers demonstrated a commitment to values related to social and economic justice,” said Mr. Earnest, the spokesman.
“I have never said anything that is not in the social doctrine of the church,” he said, alluding to provocative speeches on the excesses of capitalism. “Maybe some things sounded slightly leftish, but that would be the wrong interpretation.”
Several liberal House Democrats released three short videos on Tuesday beseeching Pope Francis to address immigration, climate change and poverty in his address to Congress. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, running for the Democratic presidential nomination, joined low-wage contract workers from the Capitol and other federal buildings who were striking for higher pay and the right to join a union.
Clearly intent on pushing back against critics who question his brand of Catholicism, he jokingly volunteered to recite the Creed, the Catholic statement of faith. He also told a story, relayed to him by a cardinal, that a woman had insisted that he was the “anti-pope” because he did not wear red papal shoes.
On the other side of the ideological divide, abortion opponents were hoping that Pope Francis would boost their bid to impose new limits on the procedure and cut off federal financing of Planned Parenthood. Just hours before his arrival, Senate Republicans tried and failed to break a filibuster on legislation banning abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
While he appeared a little weary as he landed at Andrews, in the Maryland suburbs outside Washington, 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.
Yet Pope Francis may also make points that challenge both parties, particularly if he repeats his remarks against what he sees as the excesses of globalization and capitalism. And he may discomfort both the White House and Congress if he urges them to do more to help Syrian refugees flooding through Europe; Mr. Obama has ordered another 10,000 Syrians be admitted in the next year, but that remains a fraction of what human rights groups have recommended.
The president’s personal welcome was a sign of respect. Presidents rarely greet foreign visitors at Andrews, instead waiting for them to make their way to the White House. President George W. Bush made an exception in 2008, when Pope Benedict XVI arrived for a visit, and Mr. Obama followed suit.
Pope Francis is scheduled to attend a pomp-filled arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House on Wednesday morning, complete with a 21-gun salute, a Marine band playing the pontifical anthem and about 15,000 people gathered on the grounds and the nearby Ellipse. Afterward, Mr. Obama and Pope Francis will meet for about 45 minutes alone in the Oval Office while Mr. Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry, who is also Catholic, meet separately with the Vatican secretary of state.
The White House sought to highlight the alignment between the president and the pope, while de-emphasizing areas of discord. “Both President Obama and Pope Francis have over the course of their careers demonstrated a commitment to values related to social and economic justice,” Mr. Earnest, the spokesman, said.
After leaving the White House, Pope Francis will lead a brief parade in his popemobile around the Ellipse and hold prayers at St. Matthews Cathedral. Later in the afternoon, he is scheduled to celebrate Mass for about 30,000, including Mr. Biden, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception at the Catholic University of America.
Several liberal House Democrats released three short videos on Tuesday beseeching Pope Francis to discuss immigration, climate change and poverty in his address to Congress. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who is running for the Democratic presidential nomination, joined low-wage contract workers from the Capitol and other federal buildings who were striking for higher pay and the right to join a union.
During the Mass, Pope Francis will canonize Rev. Junipero Serra, a Spanish-born Franciscan friar known for starting nine Spanish missions in California in the 1700s, the first canonization on United States soil. To the church, Mr. Serra is seen as a hero who spread the gospel to the New World. But Native American groups condemn him for harsh treatment of the indigenous population.
On the other side of the ideological divide, abortion opponents were hoping that Pope Francis would help lift their bid to impose new limits on the procedure and cut off federal financing for Planned Parenthood. Just hours before the pope’s arrival, Senate Republicans tried and failed to break a filibuster on legislation that would ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
The centerpiece of the pope’s stay in Washington will be his address to a joint meeting of Congress on Thursday morning at the invitation of Speaker John A. Boehner, a Catholic Republican from Ohio, also a first in American history. Demand for scarce tickets has been so high that congressional officials imposed unusual limits on many who normally have rights to the House floor.
Yet Pope Francis may also make points that challenge both parties, particularly if he repeats his condemnation of what he sees as the excesses of globalization and capitalism. And he may discomfort both the White House and Congress if he urges them to do more to help the Syrian refugees flooding through Europe, although he said on the plane that he did not plan to criticize the embargo of Cuba during his stay.
Mr. Boehner’s office released 50,000 tickets for senators and representatives to distribute to constituents for access to the West Lawn of the Capitol where they will be able to watch the pope’s address on jumbo television screens and possibly catch a glimpse of him waving from the speaker’s balcony.
Francis is scheduled to attend an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House on Wednesday morning, with about 15,000 people gathered on the grounds and the nearby Ellipse. He will meet with Mr. Obama for about 45 minutes alone in the Oval Office while Mr. Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry, who is also Catholic, meet separately with the Vatican secretary of state.
By stopping in Cuba before his much-awaited visit to the United States, Pope Francis was taking something of a papal victory lap, celebrating the role he played in brokering a thaw in relations between Havana and Washington. The pope used his star power to bolster the standing of the church in Cuba, where it was marginalized by the government for years.
After leaving the White House, Francis will lead a brief parade in his popemobile around the Ellipse and hold prayers at St. Matthew’s Cathedral. Later in the afternoon, he is scheduled to celebrate Mass for about 30,000 people, including Mr. Biden, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception at Catholic University of America, and canonize the Rev. Junípero Serra, a Spanish-born Franciscan friar known for starting nine Spanish missions in California in the 1700s.
There were some expectations that he would raise the issues of human rights and political liberty with his hosts, but Pope Francis opted instead to be cautious. He did not meet with Cuban dissidents or directly challenge President Raúl Castro or his brother, Fidel, though he did make several comments that some analysts interpreted as veiled disapproval of the government’s ideological bent. The pope did not speak out against the American trade embargo against Cuba, either.
The centerpiece of the pope’s stay in Washington will be his address to a joint meeting of Congress — a first in American history — on Thursday morning at the invitation of Speaker John A. Boehner, a Catholic Republican from Ohio.
The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said Pope Francis had spoken with “clarity, discretion and restraint,” and that it was not his role to be provocative on domestic political issues.
About 50,000 people have been invited to the West Lawn of the Capitol, where they will be able to watch the pope’s address on large television screens and perhaps catch a glimpse of him waving from the speaker’s balcony.
“The pope wants to make a contribution, but the responsibility lies with the leaders of nations,” Father Lombardi told reporters at a news conference Monday night. “He does not want to exaggerate his role. He just wants to contribute by making suggestions, promoting dialogue, justice and the common good of people.”
Still, at the Mass on Tuesday morning with President Castro in attendance, the pope once more urged Cubans to embrace service over ideals, a theme that was seen as a commentary on the Communist government that has ruled the country for more than 50 years.
“Our revolution comes about through tenderness, through the joy which always becomes closeness and compassion, and leads us to get involved in, and to serve, the life of others,” Pope Francis said of the church.
Some analysts said Pope Francis’s restrained remarks worked to the advantage of Cuba’s leaders and the Obama administration. They saw the visit as a success because it allowed all parties to keep moving toward normalized relations.
“It’s a win-win situation for these three guys,” said Carlos Alzugaray Treto, a Cuban former diplomat who is close to the Castros. “They all want the same thing.”
