HAVANA — Pope Benedict XVI prayed for freedom and renewal “for the greater good of all Cubans” before the nation’s patron saint yesterday, but the island’s communist leaders quickly rejected the Roman Catholic leader’s appeal for political change after five decades of one-party rule.
The exchange came hours ahead of a private meeting with President Raul Castro on the pontiff’s second day on the island. Brief video feeds showed Castro greeting Benedict at the Presidential Palace and then later seeing him off.
There was no visit to see Fidel Castro, although a Vatican spokesman would not rule out the possibility of a meeting before the pope is to depart this afternoon.
During a quiet moment at the shrine of the Virgin of Charity, Benedict also prayed for more Cubans to embrace the faith in a country that is the least Catholic in Latin America. Although most Cubans are nominally Catholic, fewer than 10 percent practice the faith.
No comments:
Post a Comment