(dpa) -
When thousands gather on the White House lawn Wednesday morning to greet Pope
Benedict XVI, it will be just the second time that a pontiff has visited the
presidential residence.
The expected crowd of 9,000 to 12,000 people, including clergy, members of
religious orders, lay people and children, will be the largest for an event on
the South Lawn during President George W Bush's seven years in office.
Just three popes have visited the United States - beginning with Paul VI in
1965. The late John Paul II made seven visits to the country, the last in 1999
to St Louis, Missouri. He had six meetings with US presidents, but only one
visit to the White House, hosted by Jimmy Carter in 1979.
The United States only established full diplomatic relations with the Holy See
in 1984. It had a variety of contact with the pope early in the nation's
history before relations lapsed for more than a century, but most modern
presidents have had envoys to the Vatican.
Bush, First Lady Laura Bush and daughter Jenna greeted the pontiff on his
arrival Tuesday at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, outside Washington.
Bush, who has never greeted a foreign dignitary at the airport, was following
presidential tradition by meeting the leader of the Catholic Church when he
lands, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said.
A slight breeze stirred Benedict's white robes, and after waving to the crowd,
the pope and Bush spoke privately inside the military airport's visitors
lounge.
Bush and Benedict are scheduled to meet again Wednesday in a reception at the
White House and will hold a private meeting in the Oval Office.
The pope is scheduled to address the United Nations General Assembly on Friday,
becoming the third pontiff to do so. John Paul II last spoke to the world body
in 1995.