With a mass of thanksgiving, held in the Havana Cathedral, Cuba today greeted the beginning of the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of the commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the establishment of uninterrupted relations between Cuba and the Holy See.

The rite, attended by hundreds of faithful and representatives of other religious denominations, was accompanied by the members of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba Salvador Valdés Mesa, Vice-President of the Republic, and Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister of Foreign Affairs, among other authorities of the State and Government of the largest of the Antilles.

The Eucharist was presided over by Monsignor Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations of the Holy See, who is on an official visit to the island until 6 June. In his homily, he stressed the Church’s desire to contribute to the communion of Christians and the fraternity of peoples.

In this way, he conveyed the affectionate greetings of the new successor of Peter, Pope Leo XIV, while affirming that Cuba enjoys a special place in the heart of the Holy Father.

In his message, Monsignor Gallagher urged humanity, believer or not, to walk the paths of justice, peace and reconciliation promulgated in the Catholic scriptures.

Since their establishment on 7 June 1935, relations between the Republic of Cuba and the Holy See have been characterised by constructive dialogue, mutual respect and a willingness to overcome challenges and find a way to build bridges of understanding.

This year also marks other important milestones such as the tenth anniversary of the visit to the Vatican of Army General Raúl Castro Ruz in May 2015 and the apostolic journey of Pope Francis to Cuba in September of the same year, as well as the honour of having previously received in the national territory the pontiffs John Paul II and Benedict XVI.