Pope Francis landed at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington, D.C. Tuesday afternoon to begin his historic 6-day visit to the United States.

The leader of the Roman Catholic Church was greeted by President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, on the tarmac upon his arrival, reports NBC News.

The Obamas and Bidens shook hands with the pontiff as he made his way down a receiving line and was welcomed by young students and warm cheers before being whisked away in a small Fiat.

During his first trip to the U.S., Pope Francis stopped in Washington, D.C., and will visit New York City and Philadelphia. But first, Obama will hold a welcome ceremony for the pontiff at the White House at 9:15 a.m. EDT on Wednesday morning. At 11:30 a.m., the church leader will stop at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle on Rhode Island Avenue NW and lead a midday prayer with U.S. bishops.

Later on Wednesday, the pope will hold an outdoor mass of canonization in Spanish at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception at 4:15 p.m., reports USA Today.

On Thursday, Sept. 24, he will address a joint session of the U.S. Congress at 9:20 a.m. The pope's first-ever address to Congress will be broadcast live on the Capitol's West Front.

After speaking to Congress Thursday morning, he will head to Saint Patrick's Church at 11:15 a.m., and within two hours will walk across the courtyard to the headquarters of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington.

At 4 p.m., he is expected to depart from Joint Base Andrews and then arrive to the John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York at 5 p.m. He will end his day by holding an Evening Prayer (Vespers), St. Patrick's Cathedral at 6:45 p.m.

While in New York City, he will address the General Assembly at the United Nations at 8:30 a.m. Friday morning. He will also have an interfaith service at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center at 11:30 a.m. and meet with people who lost loved ones in 9/11, survivors and first responders. Then he will visit the Lady Queen of Angels School Catholic school in East Harlem at 4 p.m.

Later on, he will celebrate Mass at Madison Square Garden, reports The New York Times.

Pope Francis is scheduled to leave NYC Saturday morning and arrive in Philadelphia at 9:30 a.m. An hour later, he will hold Mass at Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul at 10:30 a.m. 

On Saturday afternoon, he will pay a visit to Independence Mall at 4:45 p.m. and then visit the Festival of Families at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway at 7:30 p.m.

On the morning of Sunday, Sept. 27, he will hold a meeting with bishops at St. Martin's Chapel, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary at 9:15 a.m. before getting a tour of the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility at 11 a.m.

At 4 p.m. he is set to hold Mass for the conclusion of the World Meeting of Families at Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Before departing to Rome, he will visit with organizers, volunteers, and benefactors of the World Meeting of Families at Atlantic Aviation at 7 p.m. His flight home leaves at 8 p.m.