Pontiff rides in a Fiat 500L car

Within less than 30 minutes of the pontiff's arrival at the Joint Base Andrews he made his first statement, not in words but in his humble actions.

Pope Francis chose a Fiat 500l car to shuttle him from the airport to Washington.

This act came as a surprise to many who expected the Pope to ride a SUV.

Read: The Holy Father arrives the US for papal visit

While most of the motorcade was made up of enormous blacked-out SUVs, the Pope was greeted on the tarmac by a little black Fiat 500L.

The Pope was reported to have been received with a happiness, as a band played Pharrell Williams' 'Happy' and the crowd chanting 'Franscisco'.