The pope's historic visit to the U.S. kicked off Wednesday in Washington, D.C., with hugs and handshakes with throngs of fans who gathered outside the White House to catch a glimpse of him.
Pope Francis stopped for photos and conversation with the crowd, who cheered for him and waved Vatican flags from behind security barricades.
Here are some of the best tweets and photos of the pope's arrival:
Enija Davidonyte, 16, attends a D.C.-area Lithuanian school. She and a group of classmates came to see the pope, and Enija scored a coveted selfie with him.
"It was a pretty nice experience seeing him and actually shaking his hand and taking a picture with him," she told NBC News.
Francis blessed them, she added.
"It really meant something to our Catholic community," she said, calling the "very memorable day" a "once-in-a-lifetime experience."
