Photo collection of Pope Francis’ Washington visit

As the pope stepped onto the red carpet rolled out on the tarmac, he was greeted by cheers of “Welcome to the USA.” The ceremony for the pontiff at the airfield included a military honor guard, four grandstands full of cheering well-wishers and a local high-school band.

While in the capital area, he visits White House, Congress, the United Nations General Assembly, and a Catholic charity serving the underprivileged in Washington, DC. He delivers an address to a joint session of Congress, on Thursday.