The Holy Father is now back in Rome after his tour of America which involved visits to Washington DC, New York and Philadelphia.
He ended his trip with the biggest event of the visit, a massive open air mass on Philadelphia's Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
The road overflowed with the jubilant, who stood in line for hours and endured airport-style security checks to see history's first pope from the Americas celebrate an open-air mass in the birthplace of the United States.
Riding through the streets in his open-sided pope mobile, the pontiff waved to cheering, screaming, singing, flag-waving crowds and kissed babies as he made his way to the altar at the steps of the columned Philadelphia Museum of Art.
June Bounds, 56, of Rochester, New York, said: "It's very overwhelming. You feel like you're one body with everyone here, whether you're here, whether you're back home, whether you're anywhere in the world.
"He's (the Pope) brought so much joy and holy spirit into the United States. It doesn't matter if you're a Catholic; he's just trying to unite everybody for a better world."
Organisers had predicted one million people would attend the mass. There was no immediate estimate of the crowd.
Earlier, Francis had a more solemn message for families scarred by the sins of the church itself.
The Pope met five victims of child sexual abuse and told them he was "deeply sorry" for the times they came forward to tell their stories and were not believed. He assured them that he believed them and that bishops who covered up for abusers would be made to answer for what they did.
"I pledge to you that we will follow the path of truth wherever it may lead," Francis said in Spanish. "Clergy and bishops will be held accountable when they abuse or fail to protect children."
Francis' journey took him first to Cuba, then to Washington and New York. Along the way, he drew large and adoring crowds, met President Barack Obama, visited ground zero and a school in East Harlem, and addressed Congress and the United Nations, calling for urgent action on climate change and poverty.
He also pointed to a new direction of the US church, twice praising the service of America's nuns, who had been subject to a recently ended Vatican crackdown, and urging America's bishops to focus more on helping their flock through life's ups and downs rather than spending all their energy on culture wars.
Brenden Thompson from Catholic Voices, the group seen as the Church's mouthpiece in the UK told Premier's News Hour it had been "massively successful".
He said: "You can see the joy that has dissipated any criticism that there might have been before.
"He's been so well received and our correspondents have just said how much the American people have loved him.
"His message of hope and his message of love have touched everyone's hearts there."
He added that it had been a trip of contrasts: "One minute he could have a rockstar red carpet welcome to the White House and then be eating with the homeless.
"He could be addressing the leaders at the UN and then go to a school in East Harlem to meet with the children of immigrants.
"This is what the American people love about him."
Brenden Thompson speaking to Premier's Antony Bushfield:
