The Cuban government and citizens of the capital will welcome the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church on September 9 when he arrives in Havana to begin his apostolic visit. The following day he will hold a mass in the Plaza de la Revolución “José Martí,” visit the President of the Councils of State and Ministers, Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, and meet with priests, believers and seminaries in the Cathedral of Havana. He will also greet the youth in the Félix Varela Cultural Center.

On September 21 he will travel to Holguín, where he will offer a mass in the Plaza de la Revolución “Calixto García Iñiguez.” On the same day the Supreme Pontiff will travel to Santiago de Cuba, and on September 22 will hold a mass in the Basilica of the Shrine to the “Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre”, where he will also greet Cuban families.

(Diario Granma)

The President travels accompanied by Vicepresident of the Council of Ministers, Ricardo Cabrisas and Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, among other representatives of his government. He was received by the Swiss guard of honor and the prefect of the Pontiff s House, Georg Gaenswein.

Raul Castro presented the High Pontiff of a painting of the Cuban artist Alexis Leyva, known by Kcho, representing the tragedies suffered by thousands of migrants in the Mediterranean Sea.

Also, the Cuban President gave the Bishop of Rome a commemorative medal of the 200th anniversary of the Havana Cathedral.

On his part, Francis gave the Executive a copy of his apostolic exhortation The Joy of the Gospel and a medal of St. Martin of Tours, patron of Buenos Aires.

In statements to the press, the Cuban President affirmed he thanked the Pope for his contribution to the process of reestablishment of relations between his country and the United States.

He also said to have transmitted to the High Pontiff the love of the Cuban people and their expectations of the Pope�s visit to the island, scheduled for next September.

The Cuban President arrived the eve to Italy, after participating in Russia in the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the victory over fascism.

(Prensa Latina)

The commission aims at “simplifying and rationalizing current structures and achieve a more thorough planning of the economic activities of all of the Vatican’s administrations”, noted a communiqué issued by the press office.

The commission will conduct the corresponding investigations, will provide reports periodically to the Pope and will cooperate with the Council of Cardinals in studying the economic and organizational problems of the Vatican, stated the communiqué.

The commission is comprised of experts on legal, economic, financial and organizational issues that come from countries such as France, Germany, Singapore and Malta, underlined the communiqué.

This is the second commission of this type created by Pope Francis, who recently created a similar one to make improvements in the Institute for Works of Religion (IOR) or Vatican Bank, an entity that has been involved in judicial processes for irregularities such as suspicious transfers.

state of Vatican City arrives in Guanajuato.

Radio stations, the press, websites and television channels have increased news related to the arrival of His Holiness, given the existing countdown.

The Catholic Church confirmed that the Pope´s visit will be accompanied by an atmosphere of peace and joy, Archbishop of Leon Jose Guadalupe Martin told the press.

The archbishop reaffirmed that the Presidential General Staff (EMP) is in charge of the logistics and security of the visit.

“Do not be afraid, be calmed and welcome the Pope and be sure that it will be a feast of faith and grace”, the archbishop insisted.

Archbishop Martin noted that 185 cardinals, archbishops and bishops will arrive in Guanajuato on Thursday to welcome His Holiness, who will arrive at the international airport in Silao on Friday at 16:30 hours (local time).

The Vatican on Friday condemned the U.S. blockade against Cuba, while making prior statements to the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Caribbean island next week.

to be the cornerstone of the U.S. policy towards the Caribbean island, located just 145 kilometers from the state of Florida, although the measure has not fulfilled its main objective of undermining the Cuban Revolution.

(With information from Reuters)

Translated by Osmany González Tocabens

Wojtyla said Castro was Best Prepared for Pope's visit

Wojtyla once told Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone that possibly no Head of State was better prepared than Castro for a Pope’s visit. Vatican Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone reveals in the book “Un cuore grande, Omaggio a Giovanni Paolo II” that Fidel Castro was really looking forward to John Paul II’s historic visit to Cuba in 1998. “John Paul II told me that possibly no other Head of State had so thoroughly prepared for a Pope’s visit“.

Karol Wojtyla criticised the U.S. embargo against the island, although he never explicitly mentioned Cuba, and Fidel Castro “showed great affection for the Pope” Bertone reveals.