Cubans in US Coming for Pope’s Visit

Havana young people at the San Carlos de la Cabaña fortress. Photo: Irina Echarry

HAVANA TIMES, March 2 — About 750 Cubans living in the US will travel to Cuba to participate in Masses that will be officiated over by Pope Benedict XVI at the end of this month, said a spokesman for the Cuban Catholic church.

In the report from the dpa news agency, Bishop Felix Perez, the assistant secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Cuba, stated that “three planes from New York and Miami will be coming, each with 250 Cubans who reside in those cities.”

Meanwhile, the Granma newspaper today published a statement by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Cuba inviting “all the people to welcome Holy Father Benedict XVI with affection and enthusiasm.”

Also expected to travel to the island are devotees from Spain, Mexico and Panama to see the church leader, who will be on the island from March 26 to 28.