Amidst Tumultuous Welcome, Pope Begins His Trip To The U.S.A.

VATICAN CITY, APR. 16, 2008, 09.30 Hrs (CBCI News/VIS):

U.S. President George W. Bush and his wife Laura welcomed the Pope as he descended from his aircraft Alitalia Boeing 777 to a tumultuous welcome last evening.

Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Washington D.C. at 4.00 PM local time.

Following a flight of more than 7,000 kilometres, his plane touched down at 4 p.m. local time at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington D.C.

After landing, Benedict XVI travelled by car to the apostolic nunciature in Washington D.C where he spent the rest of the day.

No speeches were scheduled for this first meeting and the welcome ceremony proper will take place on Wednesday 10.30 a.m. local time at the White House, official residence of the U.S. president.

The Holy Father will start off the day on Wednesday, his 81st birthday, with a private Mass in the nunciature chapel. Then he will proceed to the White House for an official reception and a private meeting with the president.

The five-day U.S. trip has the theme "Christ Our Hope" and includes two cities -- Washington and New York -- a stop at ground zero and an address to the United Nations.

At midday on Tuesday, the Holy Father departed from Rome's Fiumicino airport.

This is the Pope Benedict XVI's eighth apostolic trip outside Italy and his first to the U.S.A. as Pope.

Wednesday, 16 April, is the Pope's 81st birthday, and Saturday 19 April, will mark the third anniversary of his election to the pontifical throne.