Pope Francis meets schoolchildren in East Harlem

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NEWS) - Pope Francis, a descendant of Italian immigrants in Argentina, met with dozens of schoolchildren, many of them immigrants themselves, at Our Lady Queen of Angels School in East Harlem Friday afternoon. The pope, children, educational staff members, parents, and local officials delighted in the visit.

Outside the school, children cheered and clapped for the pope, and posed for selfies with him. The Pope was visibly moved and excited by the reception he received. Inside, students sang a song for the pope and then presented him with various projects the children have been working on for weeks. Many of the projects reflected the pope's values on protecting the environment.

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Francis chatted and joked with the students in Spanish. The pope then spoke to the students, staff and other guests for a few minutes, invoking Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. "His dream was that many children like you could get an education," Francis said. "It is beautiful to have dreams and to be able to fight for them." After his remarks, Francis asked the children to sing for him again.