Pope Francis Visits Brazil Monday July 22,2013

Pope Francis was greeted by enthusiastic crowds in Rio de Janeiro as he returned to his native continent for the first time as pontiff on Monday July 22,2013

Pope Francis arrived in Brazil on Monday on his first foreign trip as pontiff and was swarmed by well-wishers as he drove into Rio de Janeiro, where more than one million people are expected to gather to see the first Latin American to head the Roman Catholic Church

The pope landed in Rio at 4pm local time and toured streets in the city centre. During his first minutes in Brazil, believers swarmed around the closed Fiat several times when it was forced to stop by heavy traffic on the drive from the airport to an official ceremony in Rio's centre.

In a speech beside Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff at the state government seat, Laranjeiras Palace, Pope Francis charmed his Brazilian hosts with his humility

"I learnt that to have access to the Brazilian people, it is necessary to enter through the door of their immense heart. Permit me at this time to knock delicately at this door," he told his audience

Pope Francis greets the crowd of faithful from his popemobile in downtown Rio de Janeiro on Monday July 22,2013

After his reception on Monday July 22,2013,Pope Francis is scheduled later in the week to visit the Sao Paulo shrine, call on the residents of a Rio shantytown, lead a giant service on Rio's Copacabana beach and hold Mass at a big rally in a pasture outside the city