State Dept. condemns arrests, repression in Russia

In a hopeful inaugural address, which included extending an olive branch to those Americans who didn't support him, Biden said -- with a united front -- the nation will go on from this day to "write the next chapter in American history."

"My fellow Americans, I close the day where I began, with a sacred oath before God and all of you. I give you my word, I will always level with you. I will defend the Constitution. I'll defend our democracy. I'll defend America," Biden said.

"I do in your service, thinking not of power but of possibilities, not of personal injuries but the public good. And together we shall write an American story of hope, not fear. Of unity, not division. Of light, not darkness. A story of decency and dignity, love and healing, greatness and goodness," Biden continued.

Biden received over 81 million votes in the election, but throughout his remarks he reached across the aisle, asking those 74 million who didn’t vote for him to measure him by his heart, saying he would fight for them just as much as for those who supported him -- repeating a promise Biden made on the campaign trail.

Invoking his Catholic faith, Biden went on to say, "May this be the story that guides us, the story that inspires us, and the story that tells ages yet to come that we answered the call of history, we met the moment."

"With purpose and resolve, we turn to those tasked of our time, sustained by faith, driven by conviction, and devoted to one another and the country we love with all our hearts. May God bless America and may God protect our troops," he said to finish his first speech as president.

In his first speech as president, illustrating his empathy and his personal upbringing, Biden addressed his "fellow Americans" who may view the future with fear and trepidation -- but called on them not to turn inwards in difficult times.

"The answer is not to turn inward, to retreat into competing factions, distrusting those who don't look like you or worship the way you do or don't get their news from the same source as you do," Biden said. "We must end this uncivil war that pits red against blue, rural versus -- rural versus urban, conservative versus liberal."

"We can do this if we open our souls instead of hardening our hearts. If we show a little tolerance and humility, and if we are willing to stand in the other person’s shoes," he continued.

Biden did not say the word “Trump" in his speech -- nor did any of the speakers who preceded him.

In his first act as president, Biden asked the nation to join in a moment of silent prayer for those who have died due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We've been through so much in this nation,” Biden said during his inaugural address. “In my first act as president, I’d like to ask you to join me in a moment of silent prayer to remember all those who we lost in this past year to the pandemic, those 400,000 fellow Americans -- moms, dads, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, friends, neighbors and co-workers.” 

“We'll honor them by becoming the people and the nation we know we can and should be,” he added.

On Tuesday, the death toll from COVID-19 surpassed 400,000 people in the U.S.

In a speech that stood in sharp contrast to his predecessors’ message of “American carnage,” Biden quoted Abraham Lincoln, before making his own commitment to devote his time in office to uniting the nation and calling on Americans to open their souls to each other, too.

"In another January, on New Year's Day in 1863, Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. When he put pen to paper, the president said, and I quote, “if my name ever goes down into history, it’ll be for this act, and my whole soul is in it," Biden said.

“My whole soul is in it," Biden continued to applause. "Today, on this January day, my whole soul is in this: bringing America together, uniting our people, uniting our nation. And I ask every American to join me in this cause."

He also took a moment to recognize the historic nature of Kamala Harris being sworn-in as the nation’s first woman and South Asian woman, to become vice president. 

“Here we stand, looking out on the great mall where Dr. King spoke of his dream. Here we stand where, 108 years ago at another inaugural, thousands of protesters tried to block brave women marching for the right to vote. And today, we mark the swearing of the first woman in American history elected to national office, Vice President Kamala Harris.”

-ABC News' Molly Nagle and Justin Gomez