‘Honoured’ Obama’s first ever meeting with Pope

US president Barack Obama received a "great honour" on Friday when he met Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican for the first time.

"It's a great honour to meet you, thank you so much," Obama said as the men shook hands in a Vatican hallway.

Photographers and reporters swarmed around the pair as they exchanged pleasantries across the pope's desk.

"I'm sure you're used to having your picture taken, and I'm getting used to it," Politico quoted a grinning Obama as saying.

"You must be tired," Pope Benedict replied.

Obama responded by saying his recent meetings at the G8 summit in L'Aquila led to pledges of $20 billion in food aid for developing countries.

"Which I thought was great progress," Obama said as photographers were shooed out.

The two men met face-to-face in private for about 25 minutes.

Before the session got underway, Obama introduced some of his top aides to the pontiff, including national security adviser Jim Jones, his deputy Denis McDonough, deputy chief of staff Mona Sutphen, press secretary Robert Gibbs, and senior adviser David Axelrod.

As the pope met McDonough, Obama put in an extra plug for his adviser: "This is Denis McDonough. His brother is a priest."

First lady Michelle Obama, wearing a black veil over her hair, also greeted the pope.

An official disclosed that the Obamas' daughters, Malia and Sasha, also met the religious leader.