Havana, Apr 21 (Prensa Latina) Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel today expressed his condolences for the death of Pope Francis, the first bishop of Rome from a Latin American nation.
“We deeply regret the passing of the unforgettable Pope Francis,” the head of state expressed on the X social network.
“The signs of affection and cordial closeness that he transmitted to our compatriots were always reciprocated by the Cubans,” he added.
The Vatican assured that this Monday “the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father” and highlighted the dedication throughout his life “to the service of the Lord and his Church.”
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Francis, from Argentina, was elected head of the Catholic Church in March 2013, after the resignation of Benedict XVI.
He suffered from respiratory problems and was hospitalized for more than a month, until he was medically discharged last March 23.
He died at the age of 88, shortly after his appearance in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on the occasion of Easter Sunday.
From September 19 to 22, 2015, Pope Francis made an apostolic trip to Cuba, during which he dialogued with the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro.
On February 12, 2016, he returned to Cuban soil on a stopover during his trip to Mexico and held a meeting with the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Kirill, the first meeting of the leaders of both churches after the schism of Christianity in 1054.
(Taken from PL)
