Pope Francis meets with Castro tomorrow

Saturday, May 09, 2015




Pope Francis (PHOTO: AFP)



HAVANA, Cuba (CMC) — Pope Francis is scheduled to meet tomorrow with Cuban President Raul Castro at the Vatican.

The meeting comes four months before a scheduled visit to the Spanish-speaking Caribbean country by Pope Francis.

"Raul Castro will be received in the morning for strictly private talks," Holy See spokesman Federico Lombardi announced.

Last month, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis will visit Cuba in September, becoming the third pontiff to do so.

September's visit will precede a papal trip to the United States.

Pope Francis played a key role in negotiations between Washington and Havana that led to last December's announcement of plans to restore diplomatic ties.

The Pope's predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI visited Cuba in 2012, the previous pope, John Paul II, was the first to visit the island in 1998.

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