Pope Francis Meets Barack Obama: Watch President's First Meeting With New Pontiff [VIDEO]

Pope Francis has met with American President Barack Obama in the Pontiff's private chambers at the Vatican for the first time since Francis was elected a year ago. "I am a great admirer of yours," Obama told Francis upon meeting the Catholic leader. The first Pope to come from the American continent received the U.S. President in his private library and with a certain formality: President Obama seemed quite emotional upon meeting the Pontiff. "Welcome, Mister President," said Pope Francis in English, a language he rarely speaks.

Immediately, two translators entered to aid in the discussion between the two leaders which took place at the Papal desk, as the two sat across from each other with no others present. In his first visit to the Vatican, Obama was received in the patio of San Damaso, where Bishop Georg Ganswein was waiting to receive him. Obama, who had met with Francis' predecessor Pope Benedict, said that he felt "very grateful" for the opportunity to meet the Pope. Upon his departure, he made the Pontiff laugh by saying "Your holiness is perhaps the only one in the world who must suffer a protocol worse than mine."

"The Pope challenges us. He implores us to remember people, families, poor people. He invites us to stop and reflect on the dignity of man," said President Obama. "I have come to Rome to listen to him," the President revealed, explaining that the thoughts of the Latin American pontiff are "precious to understand who we can win the challenge of extreme poverty and inequality in the distribution of income." He added "with his continual words on social justice, the pontif warns us of the risk of becoming accustomed to extreme inequality."