Pope Francis welcomed by thousands of fans in Manhattan

The Pope is staying in an apartment in Manhattan during his visit to the United States

Thousands of fans, supporters and Catholic faithful awaited Pope Francis, as the pontiff drove through Upper East Side, in Manhattan, New York. The Pope is staying in a townhouse in this part of the city.

The 78-year-old Pope Francis arrived in the United States on Tuesday and, since then, crowds of Christians have gathered to catch a glimpse of the leader of the Catholic Church.

Police erected barricades and secured the area as the Pope drove by, while supporters took pictures of the Pope and screamed for his attention. Some people were more creative and handed stickers to the crowd suggesting the ‘Pope for President’.

On Thursday, Pope Francis made an historic speech to US Congress, challenging it to act on climate change, poverty, immigration, gun control among other issues.