Pope Francis has officially arrived for the New York City leg of his historic trip to the United States.

The pope stepped off a plane at John F. Kennedy International Airport at around 5:20 p.m. New York time Thursday.

He was welcomed by bishops from the archdiocese and an eager crowd of people.

He left the airport in a helicopter and was transported up the FDR Drive in a motorcade before getting in the popemobile to drive down Fifth Avenue. 

He ended up at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan, where he delivered the evening prayer.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan asked him to bless the newly renovated building, which he did.

In his homily, delivered in Spanish, the pontiff said there are two pillars of spiritual life, gratitude and hard work.

He also talked about the sex abuse scandal in the church.

"I know that, as a presbyterate in the midst of God’s people, you suffered greatly in the not distant past by having to bear the shame of some of your brothers who harmed and scandalized the Church in the most vulnerable of her members," Pope Francis said. "In the words of the Book of Revelation, I know well that you 'have come forth from the great tribulation' (Rev 7:14). I accompany you at this time of pain and difficulty, and I thank God for your faithful service to his people."

The pope closed his remarks by thanking Catholic women of the United States.

Governor Andrew Cuomo and Pope Francis exchanged a few words before the service at the cathedral, as did Mayor Bill de Blasio and Sen. Charles Schumer.

Afterwards, Cuomo praised the pope's humility and shared some of what they talked about.

"I said to the pope that we lost my father this year, former Governor Mario Cuomo, and I asked for a prayer for my father. And he said that he knew that we had lost my father, and he said nice words about my father, that he was aware of the work that he had done," Cuomo said. "So on a personal level, it's a night that my family will never forget."

Pope Francis has a busy schedule ahead on his first and only full day in the city Friday.

At 8:30 a.m., the pope addresses the United Nations General Assembly as it celebrates its 70th anniversary.

At 11:30 a.m., he's on to the September 11th Memorial and Museum for a mutlireligious service.

At 4 p.m., the pope visits Our Lady Queen of Angels school in East Harlem.

At 5 p.m., he'll greet crowds in Central Park as he rides through in his popemobile.

And at 6 p.m., Pope Francis will celebrate mass in front of 20,000 people at Madison Square Garden.