Pope Francis arrived in New York City on Thursday, his plane touching down at Kennedy International Airport shortly after 5 p.m. as he began the second leg of his whirlwind tour of the United States.

After walking off the plane, he greeted several schoolchildren, who presented him with a book of prayers written by students. He chatted amiably, giving each child a pat on the head and greeting others gathered on the tarmac. He laughed when he was handed a bobblehead version of himself before boarding a helicopter and heading to Manhattan.

Read the article “Pope Francis Arrives in New York” on nytimes.com.