By IRNA,
New York : Pope Benedict XVI arrived in the United States on Tuesday afternoon to start the six-day, two-city journey that will take him from the White House to the halls of the United Nations.
The pontiff was greeted by President Bush, first lady Laura Bush and their daughter Jenna, each of whom shook his hand.
This is the first US papal visit since the attacks of September 11 and Benedict’s first visit to the United States.
There will be a welcoming ceremony for the pope on the South Lawn of the White House on Wednesday. Benedict is to speak before meeting with US cardinals and bishops.
One of the stated goals of the pope’s visit is to energize the US Catholic community: the largest in the world, with an estimated 70 million members.
Three years after succeeding Pope John Paul II, Benedict is likely to address the US-led war in Iraq and the upcoming US presidential election.
The centerpiece of the Washington leg of the US visit will be Thursday’s Mass at Nationals Park, a new baseball stadium where 46,000 people will gather to watch the pope. Everyone will go through metal detectors on their way in, and nearby roads and bridges will be closed. Temporary flight restrictions will be in place over the stadium.
Benedict will travel to New York on Friday and address the UN General Assembly, linking the visit to the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He’ll celebrate Mass Sunday morning at Yankee Stadium.
Of American Catholics polled by the Pew Research Center, 74 percent give Pope Benedict a favorable rating. But the survey points out that he’s not as highly regarded as his predecessor.
For one, their personalities are different. John Paul was known for his charisma. Benedict is known as an intellectual and introvert.