President Joe Biden

President Joe Biden has signed a series of executive orders from the Oval Office hours after his inauguration.

Biden wore a mask while seated behind the Resolute Desk with a stack of orders early Wednesday evening.

He said there was "no time to start like today."

The first order Biden signed was related to the coronavirus pandemic.

He also signed an order reentering the U.S. into the Paris climate accord.

While his predecessor Donald Trump broke long-standing practice by skipping Biden's inauguration, he did follow through on one tradition and left behind a letter for Biden.

The new Democratic president said Trump "wrote a very generous letter."

But Biden said he wouldn't reveal its contents until he had a chance to speak with Trump.

Biden was sworn in using a Bible that has been in his family since 1893

Joe Biden has officially become the 46th president of the United States.

Biden took the oath of office just before noon Wednesday during a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol.

The presidential oath was administered by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.

Biden was sworn in using a Bible that has been in his family since 1893 and was used during his swearing-in as vice-president in 2009 and 2013.

The 5 inch thick Bible, which could be seen on a table next to Biden's chair on the dais, has a Celtic cross on its cover and was also used each time he was sworn-in as a U.S. senator.

Biden's late son, Beau, also used the Bible for his own swearing-in ceremony as attorney general of Delaware and helped carry the Bible to his father's 2013 ceremony.