Pope Benedict XVI confirms visit to Communist Island Cuba along with Mexico before Easter 2012, which will be the first trip to Cuba by a pontiff since John Paul II’s historic tour in 1998.
Rome / NationalTurk – Pope Benedict XVI plans to visit to Cuba and Mexico before in MArch 2012, hopeng his Cuba travel will strengthen the faith and encourage Catholics there to seek justice and hope. Pope’s decision to return to Latin America shows the Vatican’s concern about cementing the faith in a region that claims about half of the world’s Catholics, but where evangelical Pentecostal movements are making major inroads. The visit coincides with the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the image of the Virgin de la Caridad del Cobre.
The Virgin of Charity of El Cobre is a gold-clothed, doll-like figurine which, according to Cuban legend, three fishermen found floating in a bay as Spain colonized the region with the sword and the cross.
Cuba welcomes Pope Benedict XVI in March
The trip to the Communist-run island of Cuba will provide both the Vatican and the Cuban state some opportunities to develop areas of mutual interest–for the Cuban state, a greater legitimacy and access, for the Vatican a greater ability to protect the viability of its Church in Cuba. More significantly, perhaps, the Catholic Church appears willing to serve as an intermediary acceptable to the United States and the E.U., especially with respect to matters of conscience.It will be a moment for energizing the faith in Cuba. It will give strength and vigor to the faith in Cuba,” Monsignor Jose Felix Perez, executive secretary of the Cuban Bishops Conference said. “The visit should be one of peace and reconciliation.” That may prove useful as Cuba continues to solidify its political system as it seeks to modify its economic structures. Perez stated the pontiff had “a special affection toward the people of Cuba for the social conditions in Cuba.”
The exact date of the trip, coinciding with the 400th anniversary of Cuba’s patron saint, the Virgin of Caridad del Cobre will be announced in Rome next week but NationalTurk found out the visit by Pope will occurr between 26-29 March 2012.
The Catholic Church has played an increasingly important part in Cuba in recent years, helping negotiate the release of Cuban political prisoners in 2009 and 2010. The church has also consulted with Cuban President Raul Castro and his advisers on free-market changes he is implementing in the Cuban nation.
The pope also is considering a visit to Mexico.Pope Benedict XVI has mainly limited his visits to mostly European Countries, although he did visit Brazil in 2007 and has stated he hopes to return in 2013 for World Youth Day, the church’s youth festival. Benedict also he has a trip to Benin coming up later this month, his second to Africa in his six-year-pontificate.
Pope and Christian Churc at odds with Cuba since Cuban Revolution
After the 1959 Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro increased anti-clerical actions across Cuba. Authorities discouraged Christmas celebrations, closed religious schools in 1962 and barred Communist Party membership to people of religious belief.
After the Cold War, Cuba removed references to atheism from the constitution in the 1990s and allowed believers of all faiths to join the party.
When Pope John Paul visited Cuba in 1998, Castro shed his trademark olive-green uniform for a business suit and tie and to greet the pope of Catholic church personally at the Havana airport.
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