WASHINGTON (WUSA9) -- Pope Francis delivered the first papal address to Congress in history, calling for the abolition of the death penalty.
A bipartisan group of congressional leaders escorted him up the aisle for his speech in the House chamber. Congress members gave him a standing ovation. Taking to the dais, the pope said, "I am grateful for your invitation to address this Joint Session of Congress in 'the land of the free & the home of the brave.'"
His remarks were marked by applause several times.
Pope Francis spoke of the mission of Congress:
"Your own responsibility as members of Congress is to enable this country, by your legislative activity, to grow as a nation. You are the face of its people, their representatives. You are called to defend and preserve the dignity of your fellow citizens in the tireless and demanding pursuit of the common good, for this is the chief aim of all politics. A political society endures when it seeks, as a vocation, to satisfy common needs by stimulating the growth of all its members, especially those in situations of greater vulnerability or risk. Legislative activity is always based on care for the people. To this you have been invited, called and convened by those who elected you."
The pope told Congress that speaking to them was also a way to reach the people they represent. Among those people are "the many thousands of men and women who strive each day to do an honest day's work, to bring home their daily bread, to save money and –one step at a time – to build a better life for their families."
He spoke of his desire to talk to the elderly who are "a storehouse of wisdom forged by experience" and the young, who he called "the most vulnerable" of family members.
"For many of them, a future filled with countless possibilities beckons, yet so many others seem disoriented and aimless, trapped in a hopeless maze of violence, abuse and despair. Their problems are our problems. We cannot avoid them. We need to face them together, to talk about them and to seek effective solutions rather than getting bogged down in discussions."
Solidarity was a message throughout his speech.
He urged all to respond to enemies, hatred and violence with "hope and healing, of peace and justice."
Photos: Pope Francis addresses Congress
"To imitate the hatred and violence of tyrants and murderers is the best way to take their place. That is something which you, as a people, reject," stated Francis.
He continued:
"Our response must instead be one of hope and healing, of peace and justice. We are asked to summon the courage and the intelligence to resolve today's many geopolitical and economic crises. Even in the developed world, the effects of unjust structures and actions are all too apparent. Our efforts must aim at restoring hope, righting wrongs, maintaining commitments, and thus promoting the well-being of individuals and of peoples. We must move forward together, as one, in a renewed spirit of fraternity and solidarity, cooperating generously for the common good."
Pope Francis noted four Americans, who he said "were able by hard work and self-sacrifice – some at the cost of their lives – to build a better future": Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton. He talked in detail about their contributions and the impact they still have on American society today.
"Three sons and a daughter of this land, four individuals and four dreams: Lincoln, liberty; Martin Luther King, liberty in plurality and non-exclusion; Dorothy Day, social justice and the rights of persons; and Thomas Merton, the capacity for dialogue and openness to God.
Four representatives of the American people."
Pope Francis also called for the abolition of the death penalty. "I am convinced that this way is the best, since every life is sacred, every human person is endowed with an inalienable dignity, and society can only benefit from the rehabilitation of those convicted of crimes," stated the pope.
He voiced his support for U.S. bishops who have asked to get rid of the death penalty. "Not only do I support them, but I also offer encouragement to all those who are convinced that a just and necessary punishment must never exclude the dimension of hope and the goal of rehabilitation," he added.
Pope Francis also lamented that the basis of marriage and family life is being put into question. Francis said the family is "threatened, perhaps as never before, from within and without."
While Francis has shown great openness to gays as individuals, he has upheld the church teaching that marriage is a union between man and woman.
John Roberts, chief justice of the Supreme Court, which legalized gay marriage nationwide, was sitting in front of the pope during his speech.
Earlier, House Speaker John Boehner greeted Pope Francis and posed for a photo op before the Holy Father's upcoming address to Congress.
Cameras captured the two shaking hands and then sitting down for pictures to be taken at Speaker Boehner's office in the Capitol.
The Ohio Republican told Francis, "Your Holiness, welcome, really glad that you're here."
As the two men posed for pictures, Speaker Boehner told the pontiff that his staff had urged him to wear the green tie he was sporting. Francis complimented him through an interpreter.
The interpreter told Boehner, "He says it's a tie with the color of hope."
The excitement ahead of the pope's historic address was palpable on Thursday morning.
"We just can't wait until he comes out," one boy told us.
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He was among a group of children who showed off the "Flat Francis," a cardboard character in the likeness of Pope Francis that they hope to get pictures of in different settings around the world.
They joined the 50,000 waiting to see the pope appear briefly on the west front of the Capitol following the address.
When Pope Francis did appear on the speaker's balcony, he was greeted with a thunderous roar from the crowd. His first words were "Buenos dias."
His brief remarks to the crowd were translated into English by a translator. He ended his statement with the same phrase he ended many of his speeches in D.C. with during his visit: "God Bless America."