Cuba Relations Remains Big Focus As Pope Visits Havana

Tens of thousands of Cubans attended the Mass at the huge plaza where Cubans celebrate May Day beneath massive portraits of revolutionary leaders Ernesto “Che” Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos built into the facades of government buildings.

Just before, he had sent his greetings to former Cuban President Fidel Castro, withdrawn from power since 2006.

“Francis has come to bless this new union between Cuba and the United States“, said Enrique Mesa, a 32-year-old tourism worker.

Raul Castro went to the terminal to welcome the Pope, accompanied by Cardinal Jaime Ortega, the head of the Catholic Church in Cuba.

Francis gave 10 children their first Holy Communions at the start of a lengthy communion distribution.

Castro returned the favour by giving the pope a copy of “Fidel & Religion: A Conversation With Fidel Castro” by Frei Betto. “I hope that all who hear his words will allow them to touch their hearts and be compelled to join in this moment of grace, love and community”.

The streaming music service Spotify reached out to Tim O’Malley, director of the Notre Dame Center for Liturgy, for his Pope playlist.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos for his part thanked the pope on Twitter and vowed: “We will continue on the path of peace and reconciliation”.

Sue Longman, a parishioner of St. Martha’s, said Pope Francis’ Mass in Cuba is a great thing.

Pope Francis is set to visit New York later this week.

They say they saw few tangible benefits from the last two papal visits – that of John Paul II in 1998 and Benedict XVI in 2012.

Raul Castro makes his welcoming address for Pope Francis at the Havana airport.

A poster featuring Pope Francis and a welcome message decorates the back of a tricycle taxi in Havana, Cuba, Friday, September 18, 2015.

Instead of a smooth arrival, the wind whipped off his papal cap leaving him to join a long line of celebrities who have also experienced a wardrobe mishap due to a gust.

Despite making Cuba constitutionally atheist and repressing Catholics in the early years after their 1959 revolution, the Castro brothers have relaxed that stance since the 1990s. On Sunday afternoon Francisco will have an official meeting with the Cuban president.

In a video released Sunday morning, Pope Francis speaks directly to those coming to Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families.

He warned Cubans about succumbing to “seductive” plans for the future, an allusion to what may lie ahead for Cuba as the nation becomes less politically and financially isolated.

Several leading dissidents have criticised the pope for turning a deaf ear to their requests to meet with him during his visit. The military wing of the Communist party later introduced methods of war that the United States classified as “terrorism”.