The Pope was met with a great deal of fan fare at Andrews Air Force Base and as he made his way to the Vatican Embassy.

He's going to have a quiet evening before his jam packed itinerary begins."

An energetic Pope Benedict XVI smiled and waved to hundreds of spectators as he stepped off a plane dubbed Shepherd One.

Cheers and a presidential handshake welcomed him to America.

Throngs of excited Catholics also waited for the Holy Father outside the Vatican embassy.

Hours before landing, the Pontiff tackled a painful issue facing the U.S. Catholic church – clergy sex abuse.

And he promised pedophiles would not be priests in the church.

"We are deeply ashamed and we will do all that's possible that this cannot happen in future," said the Pope.

For the Pontiff's first visit to the U.S. as Pope, President Bush made the unprecedented gesture of greeting the Holy Father at Andrews Air Force Base – the first time he's welcomed a foreign dignitary there.

But the official welcome comes Wednesday at the White House when a huge crowd greets the Pope on his 81st birthday.

then he and the president will meet to discuss issues including immigration and human rights.

"We're expecting thousands of people, upwards of possibly 9,000 people. It will be one of the largest arrival ceremonies ever held at the White House," said Dana Perino, the White House Press Secretary.

The Pope's busy schedule continues with processions in his Pope mobile and large masses at ballparks in Washington and New York, an address to the United Nations and a visit to Ground Zero.

The Pontiff will celebrate his third anniversary as Pope while on this trip.

But polls show as many as 80% of Americans say they know little to nothing about him.

He's hoping to change that in the coming days.