Vatican City, 10 May 2015 (VIS) –
This morning the Holy Father received in private audience the
president of the Republic of Cuba, Raul Castro Ruz. The meeting took
place in the Pope's study adjacent to Paul VI Hall.
Upon arrival, at 9.30 a.m., the
president was received by the Prefect of the Papal Household,
Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, accompanied by his substitute, Archbishop
Giovanni Angelo Becciu, and the secretary for Relations with States,
Bishop Paul Richard Gallagher. A personal meeting with the Pope then
took place in the study, which lasted more than 50 minutes and was
very cordial.
The president, as he declared before
leaving the Vatican, thanked the Holy Father for his active role in
improving relations between Cuba and the United States. He also
expressed the sentiments of the Cuban people as they await and
prepare for his upcoming visit to the island in September.
The Pope and the president then
proceeded to the adjacent room for the presentation of the delegation
accompanying Raul Castro, composed of around a dozen figures
including the deputy prime minister, the minister for foreign affairs
and the ambassador to the Holy See.
The exchange of gifts was very
meaningful. The president offered the Pope a valuable commemorative
medal of the Cathedral of Havana and a contemporary painting,
depicting a large cross made up of wrecked boats, with a migrant in
prayer in the foreground. The artist, the Cuban Kcho, was present and
explained to the Pope that it was inspired by his great efforts to
raise awareness in the world of the problems faced by migrants and
refugees, beginning with his famous trip to Lampedusa. The Pope gave
the president a copy of his apostolic exhortation “Evangelii
Gaudium” and a large medallion depicting St. Martin covering the
poor man with his cape. The Holy Father observed that he was
particularly keen to give this gift, as it recalled the commitment
not only to protecting the poor but also to promoting dignity.
President Raul Castro and his
delegation left the Vatican shortly after 10.30 a.m.
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