14ymedio – Page 597 – Translating Cuba

Writer Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo Receives Refuge in Reykjavik / 14ymedio, Luz Escobar

14ymedio, Luz Escobar, Mexico, 24 September 2015 — The writer and photographer Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo has received refuge in the capital city of Reykjavik, Iceland, through the Network of International Cities of Refuge (ICORN), he himself confirmed to 14ymedio. The Cuban artist also received guarantees of housing and the freedom to create.

He is the second writer received by the city of Reykjavik city under these conditions – the Palestinian Mazen Maarouf was awarded refuge in 2011 – and the second Cuban to be welcomed by ICORN. Before Pardo Lazo, the poet and narrator Carlos Alberto Aguilera, former editor of Diaspora(s) and editor of the website InCubadora, was granted refuge; today he lives in Prague. continue reading

This network of cities, created in the mid-nineties by Salman Rushdie – then under the protection of Scotland Yard from the fatwa pronounced against him by Ayatollah Khomeini – Wole Soyinka and Vaclav Havel, among others, seeks to help and protect writers who cannot live in their homelands.

Pardo Lazo was born in Cuba in 1971 and graduated as a biochemist from the University of Havana, although he also worked as a journalist and social activist. With extensive work as a photographer, he developed several digital spaces, among them the blogs Boring Home Utopics and Lunes de Post-Revolution (Post-Revolution Mondays). On the island he edited the independent digital magazines Cachorro(s), The Revolution Evening Post and Voces (Voices).

In February 2013, following changes in Cuba’s laws regarding travel and immigration, the writer left the country and would have had to return before 24 months in order to maintain his right to live in Cuba. As he explained to this newspaper, it was at that moment that he chose “no return” and, since then, he has lectured at several universities in the United States on social activism in Cuba and literary censorship.

Until a few months ago he was a member of the International Writers Project at Brown University, where he also served as adjunct professor of creative writing in the Department of Hispanic Studies.

How did the blogger take the news of his refuge in Reykjavik? He answers: “When I was in my country, I was a writer in exile; therefore, now from exile I am much less so.” He concludes: “I have come to the end of the world to reconnect with the intimate and intimidating memory of my sentimental Cuba.”

To Enter The Game of Heberto Padilla / 14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar

The Salvadoran journalist Roque Dalton with the Cuban poet Heberto Padilla (left) in Havana in 1966. (Wikimedia)

14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar, Havana, 24 September 2015 — Some biographies record it as September 24, others as the 25th. I haven’t been able to confirm it, what is known is that it is now 15 years since the death of the poet. To a person as irreverent as Heberto Padilla, surely he would have been amused by the confusion that reigned among the lovers of anniversaries when it came to deciding between today and tomorrow to publish something about the anniversary.

I have no right to say I was his friend, but I’m honored to have known him personally during the years when he was exiled within the island in his apartment on Humboldt Street. continue reading

One day in 1970, he poked his head around the door of my classroom at the University of Havana’s Journalism School, asking for me by name. He came to return a notebook that I, in my infinite youthful daring, had given him with the intention that he would read what I then thought were poems.

Germán (I omit his surname out of common decency), who was already an informer for State Security and sat behind me, asked me where I knew him from and all I could think to say was, “He is a neighbor of my brother-in-law.”

Today I don’t know what I should repent of more, my boldness in having given him those tasteless verses to read, or of having denied him in such a cowardly way. In compensation, I have spent all these years spreading his poetry among the young who have no access to his work, and shamelessly quoting him whenever the occasion allows it.

Let others undertake the exegesis of his verses, the analysis of his behavior, the chronicling of “his case,” which was a watershed in the romance between the intellectuals and the Revolution. Here I just want to mention him with a free interpretation of the first two lines of his book Fuera del Juego (Out of the Game): “The poet remembers, he has a lot to do here!”*

*Translator’s note: Padilla’s poem, Out of the Game, reads: The poet! Kick him out! / He has no business here. / He doesn’t play the game. / He never gets excited / Or speaks out clearly. / He never even sees the miracles.

Obituaries: The Guardian, The LA Times

Activists Arrested for Approaching the Pope on Hunger Strike / 14ymedio

14ymedio, 24 September 2015 — The three activists of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) arrested on Sunday during Pope Francis’s Mass Francisco in the Plaza of the Revolution in Havana remain on hunger strike, according to a Thursday statement from UNPACU.
The regime opponents, who were arrested as they approached the Pope to denounce the situation of human rights in Cuba, are being held at the police station known as 100 y Aldabó in the capital.

“From the day of their arrest, Zacchaeus Baez, Maria Josefa Acón and Ismael Bonet have been on a hunger strike,” the statement says, adding: “As of yesterday the decided that it would also be a thirst strike.” The activists, according to the statement, “belong to the UNPACU Felix Varela Cell in Calabazar” and Ancon is also a member of the Ladies in White.

The opposition group has begun “a campaign in support of the three detainees,” according to its leader, Jose Daniel Ferrer. The first actions are aimed at “informing the public through disks and printed matter about the action in the Square.” The former political prisoner says that the organization is posting notices “on poles, walls and other sites with photos of the three and explanations of what they did.”

Under the theme of “The three who reached the Pope” UNPACU has also organized marches in the east of the country, in Camagüey, Havana and Pinar del Río. The statement warns that, “if they are not released, the next step in solidarity with the three could be a mass hunger strike in public places.”

Dreams of a Cuban Catholic / 14ymedio, Jorge Guillen

Pope Francis during his homily at the Mass celebrated in Holguin. (Video capture)

14ymedio, Jorge Guillen, 23 September 2015 — Pope Francis left Cuba and left us several important messages. He spoke to us of service to others, mercy, love, humility. However, more than words, his ideas also came with gestures and attitudes. After hearing and seeing him, I wondered: Could this man help to transform the attitudes and the language of our leaders?

We will have to wait a little to find out, but the seed is planted and it’s up to us to fertilize and water it to fruition. We cannot allow ourselves to continue bleeding in this sterile struggle. Cuba belongs to all Cubans, no matter how they think and no matter how they live. Those who run the country have the obligation to guarantee the peaceful coexistence and social friendship of all the people. continue reading

For many years, we Cubans have been engaged in one of those phases of the third world war mentioned by Pope Francis. In our case it involves the infamous Battle of Ideas, the main ingredient of which is feeding hatred and violence among Cuban themselves.

While this is happening in the interior of the island, the official delegations that attend international events like the ALBA and CELAC summits make speeches where they squander solidarity, commitment and love.

I dream that this government’s foreign policy would also apply to the Cuban people.

That attitude was also perceived in the Cuban television journalists who covered the papal visit. Francis repeated phrases and tried to link all the positive things he said to the Cuban Revolution, while the negative he laid on the rest of the world. He gave the impression, in his words, that in this island everything is fine and that is the rest of the planet that is very wrong. They did not want to recognize that although the Holy Father addressed his remarks to everyone, he did so in a way especially to Cubans: from the government, the religious, regime opponents and even non-believers.

Inspired by the messages of Francis, civil society must work together in building a new Cuba, in a culture of encounter and dialogue, justice and love. There also needs to be an end at the information monopoly of the Communist Party and give recognition to civil society, regardless of ideological differences and points of view. It’s time to stop being “a light on the street and dark at home*,” and to work within our country for love and humility.

*Translator’s note: The old expression “Candil de la calle, oscuridad de la casa” (a light in the street, darkness at home) means that a person is effective (“lit up”) away from home and with others, but useless (“dark”) at home.

Pope On Dissidents In Cuba: “I Did Not Give Audiences To Anyone” / EFE, 14ymedio

EFE (14ymedio), Aboard the Papal plane, 22 September 2015 — Pope Francis said Tuesday that during his stay in Cuba he had no plans to grant audiences to “anyone,” on being questioned about why he had not held a meeting with members of the Cuban dissidence.

On board the papal plane the pontiff added that he was not aware that there had been arrests of dissidents who had sought a meeting with him during his visit to the Island, which ended today in Santiago de Cuba.

“What I want to say is that I do not know,” the Pope told the international media, among them EFE, on the plane traveling from Cuba to the United States where he will complete the second part of this tenth international trip. “I do not know if they were or not,” he said after recalling that he greeted many people during his public events in Cuba and he wasn’t aware whether among them were any dissidents because “no one identified themselves.” continue reading

“In the first Nunciature it was clear I wouldn’t give audiences to anyone, because they asked,” admitted Francis, who revealed that among those who asked to have a meeting with him “was a chief of state,” whose identity he did nor reveal.

But asked if he would be willing to meet with Cuban dissidents, the Pope answered, “I like to meet all the people, I believe that first of all every person is a child of God and has the right” to it. “Dealing with another person is always enriching,” added Jorge Bergoglio.

The lack of a meeting with members of the political opponents of the Cuban regime was a matter the Vatican was asked about during the Pope’s visit to Cuba, but the Holy See insisted that there had never been a plan to have a formal meeting.

The Vatican did say that telephone contacts with dissidents were held to explore the possibility of some of its members greeting the pope, but in the end this did not happen.

Berta Soler, leader of the dissident movement Ladies in White, and the former political prisoner José Daniel Ferrer reproached the pontiff for failing to address in his homilies and speeches the situation of fundamental rights in the country.

“Truly, we know he is not the liberator of Cuba, the Pope came as a missionary of mercy and to discuss the approach of the Church with the government, which he said very nice words about in his homilies, but words such as respect for human rights and freedom were lacking,” Berta Soler told EFE.

Ferrer, coordinator of the opposition Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU), lamented that there were no “clear statements” in the “timid” papal homilies, while “today there have been between 80 and 100 arrests of activists in Santiago de Cuba and neighboring municipalities to prevent them from attending Francis’s events.”

“We have not heard the term ‘human rights’ anywhere and we regret that the Pope has not spoken directly about the difficult situation in Cuba in this area,” he said. Nevertheless, former political prisoner Marta Beatriz Roque considered that the pope’s visit will bring “contributions,, as happened with John Paul II in 1998 and Benedict in 2012.

Roque, like Soler and independent journalist Miriam Leiva, were detained for some hours in the first two days of the papal visit, they complained, when they tried to attend events presided over by the Pope in Havana, at the invitation of the Apostolic Nunciature.

Leiva told EFE that although she could not meet with the Pope, she praised as “very positive” the fact that she had been invited because “it was a way to meet and listen to the opposition in Cuba” through them, and “to recognize a part of civil society that is ignored because the government does not listen.”

“The Pope’s pastoral objective was to share his message of mercy and its importance is that he came to the people with love, reconciliation and forgiveness, which are much needed in Cuba in the rescue of social values,” he said.

Elizardo Sanchez, spokesman for the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation (CCDHRN), said that Francis’s visit has “special significance” for its “renewal” message of “hope” for the Cuban family and church-state relations. He also said that he respects the “pragmatism” and “wisdom” of the Catholic leader, who avoided the issue of human rights in Cuba.

However, Sanchez criticized that the Cuban government celebrated the presence of the high Vatican official with “a lot of political and social repression as is a constant.” His organization, the only one on the island documenting arrests for political reasons during the papal visit, recorded between 150 and 200 arrests on these grounds, including home arrests and short-term confinements in police stations.

Francis, the Man Who Came With the Rain / 14ymedio, Rolando Garcia

Pope Francis before the Virgin of Charity. (YouTube)

14ymedio, Rolando M. García, Santiago de Cuba, 22 September 2015 – Jorge Mario Bergolgio’s trip through Santiago de Cuba has left many of the faithful frustrated as they were not able to hear his homily in a public square, as had happened in Havana and Holguín. The Pope’s visit to this region consisted only of a Mass for invited guests at the Sanctuary of El Cobre, and a gathering at Santiago de Cuba’s cathedral on Tuesday, but without a massive public presence. About 1,100 people, including Raúl Castro, attended the Mass in the Basilica, while another two thousand followed it on the giant screens outside.

The eleven miles separating El Cobre and the provincial capital of Santiago de Cuba were teeming with security guards, vehicles, and the faithful invited to hear the homily during the early morning hours on Tuesday. Many of these arrived at El Cobre in the early hours after midnight in order to avoid possible transportation problems. continue reading

Vendors who typically situate themselves on the sides of the road selling wooden replicas of the Virgin of Charity, flowers, and stones with specks of copper,* were not allowed to open their stalls last Tuesday. In their place, some of the local faithful lined the road to greet the Pope as he departed the Sanctuary in direction of the city.

It had been almost two weeks since it last rained in Santiago de Cuba. The last time it did so it came down as a weak and unimpressive drizzle. It was very different than the rain that greeted Pope Francis upon his arrival to the city. The people of Santiago de Cuba, who are in so much need of hope, saw this downpour as a good omen. Still, a lot more than rain is needed for a miracle to happen in these parts.

Restorations in honor of the 500^th anniversary of Santiago de Cuba – celebrated last July – are still fresh. Consequently, the Bishop of Rome found an embellished city center, and a thoroughly restored cathedral. Work took two years, and included the renovation of the interior, the two bell towers, the parish house, and façades.

During the last few weeks the preparations for the Pope’s arrival have gone beyond the Catholic community, involving government, Communist party, and provincial agencies, as well as the security services. The latter were in charge of warning activists and troublemakers that they were not allowed to approach the places the Pontiff would be visiting.

Santiago de Cuba’s homeless and beggars were also hidden away until Pope Francis concluded his visit to the city, “ although he has said we are all children of God,” sarcastically remarked Pablo, a homeless 65-year-old retiree, who spends his nights in the area around Céspedes Park, Santiago de Cuba’s main square, where the city’s cathedral is located. Near the bus station he told us, “I’m in hiding these days because I don’t want to get picked up.”

José Daniel Ferrer, the leader of the Patriotoc Union of Cuba (UNPACU), reported to this newspaper that hours before the arrival of Francis, the detention of around fifty activists, and that “service had been cut off to many cellphones.” For this dissident it seemed inconceivable that the Pope has not until now said “not even one word in support of human rights.” Still, Ferrer is certain that dissidents will change “Cuba for the good of all Cubans, with or without the Church’s support.”

Others see the Papal visit as great business opportunity. Margot lives close to the centrally located Enramadas Street, and applied two years ago for a government license allowing her to rent rooms to foreigners, but is still waiting for it. She told us: “A lot of tourists have come for this day, and it’s hard to find vacancies.”

“I wish a pope could come here every week,” Margot added with a big smile. “Santiago de Cuba has to reclaim the attention it deserves. Francis will help us in that. So will Cachita** who’s already here with us.”

Translator’s Notes:
*The Basilica/Sanctuary of the Virgin of Charity is located in a former mining town called “El Cobre,” literally, “The Copper.” Cuban Catholics value copper fragments from the local mines because of the metal’s historical link to the Virgin of Charity.
**An affectionate nickname for anyone named “Caridad,” or “Charity,” including the Virgin of Charity herself.

More Than 250 Activists Arrested During Pope’s Visit, According UNPACU / 14ymedio

Activists detained during Pope Francis’s in the Plaza of the Revolution. (Frame from Univision video)

14ymedio, Havana, 23 September — The Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) denounced on Wednesday the arrest of 142 of its members during Pope Francis’s visit to the island, concluded yesterday. The total number of detainees from different organizations is between 250 and 300 activists, the report said.

The majority of the arrests (105 arbitrarily arrested and several beaten) was recorded in Santiago de Cuba on the last day of the stay of the pontiff. Five other members of the organization were arrested in Pinar del Rio, 13 were arrested in Havana, 14 Holguin and one in Guantanamo.

UNPACU says in a statement released through its website that prevented more than two hundred activists in the East and another twenty in the West from leaving their homes under threat of arrest.

Pope Francis said yesterday aboard the papal plane flying from the island to the US that he had not been aware that there had been arrests of dissidents who sought a meeting with him during his stay on the island. However, UNPACU asserts that the Pope spoke last Sunday in Havana with one of the members of the organization, Zacchaeus Baez Guerrero, who identified himself to the Pope to deliver a letter and express to him the lack of human rights in Cuba. A Univision video records the moment when State Security struggles with the activist at the sight of the pope and stops.

The leader of UNPACU, Jose Daniel Ferrer, and other activists such as Berta Soler of the Ladies in White and Elizardo Sanchez, spokesman for the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation (CCDHRN), reproached the Pope for failing to address in his homilies and speeches the situation of fundamental rights in the country.

The Merchants In The Square / 14ymedio, Fernando Donate Ochoa

A group of people carry bags with food products specially offered for the arrival of Pope Francis. (Donate Fernando Ochoa) — A group of people carry sacks and bags with food products specially offered for the arrival of Pope Francis. (Donate Fernando Ochoa)

14ymedio, Fernando Donate Ochoa, 22 September 2015 — On Monday, while thousands of people waited in Holguin’s Plaza Calixto Garcia for Pope Francis to celebrate Mass, hundreds of others took advantage of the opportunity to buy the delicacies that were offered around the site, a special assortment of cookies and other confections that many Holguineros hadn’t seen in months.

The Bishop of Rome arrived at the huge plaza a few yards from a row of sellers loaded down with sacks and boxes of the yearned for food products. The sellers had also risen in the early hours of the morning, but not to hear the homily, rather to be assured of a good place in line in front of the food kiosks. continue reading

Tamara, a young resident of the area, showed up “at six in the morning” in front of the Red Dragon tent to buy everything she could. “After that, it’s gone,” she said. Tamara needed the help of two cousins to carry her purchases home, while from the loudspeakers on the plaza she heard the Pope’s voice recalling Saint Matthew.

Nearby, an old man with the help of a briefcase was carrying plastic bag of cookies he managed to get for 60 Cuban pesos with the stated intention of reselling them in “packets of ten cookies” for five pesos each.

The merchants took advantage of the absence of the police, who were concentrated on watching the plaza-turned-temple and, for once, they were left in peace.

A special assortment of cookies and other confections that many Holguineros hadn’t seen in months

However, not everyone was under-the-table vendors looking for cheap products, there were also the faithful who had gone to Mass and wanted to put a little something in their mouths. Leticia, there with her 7-year-old daughter, doubted she would make it to the front of the long line and protested because the majority of people were buying “huge quantities.”

Further back in line, a man recalled that the motto for Francis’s visit to Cuba was “missionary of mercy” and lamented the “lack of solidarity” to ensure that everyone would get a chance to purchase the products for sale. “An absolute lack of respect to take advantage of a Mass to hoard,” he protested.

The complaints forced a Red Dragon clerk to explain himself and tell people that it wasn’t their job to “establish quotas for selling.” One of the first products to run out was pieces of fried chicken at 10.20 Cuban pesos for half a pound. Later they ran out of wafer cookies, candy and Coral soda pop. Before the Mass ended, the majority of the tents had sold everything they had.

“I didn’t even get a wafer,” an old man wearing a Vatican flag in his sombrero repeated with a mix of frustration and humor.

The Pope Praises Cuban “Mission Houses” In the Face of a Scarcity of Priests / EFE (14ymedio)

Pope Francis during his homily at the mass he celebrated in Holguín. (screenshot)

EFE – (14ymedio), Holguín, 21 September 2015 — In his homily at the Plaza of the Revolution of the eastern city of Holguín – the second leg of his trip to Cuba – Pope Francis praised the role that “mission houses” play in the face of a “scarcity of churches and priests” on the island.

Before a multitude assembled in the Calixto García Ibáñez Plaza of the Revolution, the Pontiff said: “I recognize the effort and sacrifice the Church in Cuba devotes to taking the Word and Presence of Christ to all, even in the most remote areas.”

“What are known as ‘mission houses’ deserve a special mention, for they, in the face of a lack of churches and priests, allow for many people to have a space for prayer, for listening to the Word, for catechism, and for community life,” said the Pope. continue reading

He added: “They (“mission houses”) are small signs of the presence of God in our neighborhoods, as well as a consistent source of support that make the words of Saint Paul the Apostle come alive: ‘I urge you to lead a life worthy of the vocation to which you were called.’”

At the moment, there are seventy of these types of houses in the Holguín Diocese.

Quoting Saint Paul, Bergoglio then said: “With all humility and gentleness, and with patience, support each other in love. Take every care to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together.”

Mission houses are an evangelization initiative born in the 1960’s, and although the authorities in Havana did not actively endorse them, they were never forbidden. Currently there 2,330 mission houses throughout Cuba.

They are places where baptisms are held, where stable communities gather, and where regular events take place. The Cuban Bishops Conference considers them “one of the most important assets of the Church.”

Holguín’s bishop, Emilio Aranguren Echevarría had a few words of thanks for the Pope. The Bishop also told him that his visit compels his diocese to promote “pastoral work focused on bringing people together.”

The Bishop was referring to working towards “bringing friends, relatives, neighbors, and fellow citizens back together, as a first step that might help in (Cuba’s) necessary reconciliation.”

According to its figures, the Diocese of Holguín is one of eleven on the island. It includes four vicariates, six pastoral work zones, 28 parish churches, four quasi-parishes (two in Las Tunas and two in Holguín provinces), 28 non-parish churches, 21 shrines, and 170 mission and prayer houses.

The pastoral work is borne by 32 priests, twelve men consecrated to religious life (ten of whom are priests), four deacons, 55 consecrated women representing 17 orders, and three women belonging to the Missionary Oblate Sisters of Mary Immaculate. Evangelization, catechism, and missionary work are the responsibility of over 200 lay people. The Diocese also counts on 171 Eucharistic ministers.

The Pope’s act in Holguín was his first in this Cuban city, the third largest in the country, where upon his arrival he was received by Bishop Aranguren and local authorities.

After Mass, the Pope plans to visit the Hill of the Cross, a promontory from which the whole city can be seen, and from where he will bless its people.

Next, Francis will travel to Santiago de Cuba for the third leg of his trip. Upon arrival he will meet with the island’s bishops.

The CDRs and Cuban Reconciliation / 14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar

14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar, Havana, 22 September 2015 – In these days of the Pope when a great deal has been said about reconciliation between Cubans, meetings have been held to prepare the 28 September celebration of the 55^th anniversary of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR). Great effort has been put into the creation of the 55^th Anniversary Youth Detachments and the Neighborhood Prize presentations.

The unity around Revolutionary ideas that gave rise to the organization is offered as the irrevocable currency for maintaining the conquests achieved and constructing the prosperous and sustainable socialism promoted by the Communist Party. continue reading

We Cubans have no need to reconcile ourselves for religious, regional, ethnic, linguistic or other reasons of any nature, other than the ideological differences introduced on the island beginning with the promotion of the class struggle backed by Marxism-Leninism.

The unity that is proclaimed from the official discourse implies the exclusion of those who have political ideas that differ from those posited by only permitted party. This unity is understood in the context of the dictatorship of the proletariat, under which there can be no possible understanding reached with the “class enemy.”

The unity that is proclaimed from the official discourse implies the exclusion of those who have political ideas that differ from those postulated by only permitted party.

This unity is alien to reconciliation, because the reconciliation to which we are exhorted from the pulpits does not imply the conversion of the disaffected into militants, but the acceptance of differences on both sides in an equality of conditions. I remember the poet Heberto Padilla pointing out, “reconciliation and capitulation don’t rhyme.”

We’ll see if this spirit of reconciliation ends with insults and beatings against those who emerge from the church to march peacefully through the streets on Sunday to demand respect for human rights and freedom for those still imprisoned for political reasons.

The rulers clad in their guayaberas who listened to the Masses and homilies are the only ones who have the capacity, or rather, the authority, to issue the order to stop the repression and to categorically prohibit the repudiation rallies. This coming anniversary of the organization that was created so that some Cubans would monitor and betray their compatriots will be an excellent occasion to demonstrate that the holy words did not fall into the void.

Raul Castro, The Altar Boy / 14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez

Pope Francis greets Raul Castro on his arrival in Cuba. (EFE)

14ymedio, Generation Y, Yoani Sanchez, Havana, 22 September 2015 – The Cuban leader, Raul Castro, has accompanied Pope Francis at all his Masses during his tour of the island. From the one celebrated in Havana’s Plaza of the Revolution to the words pronounced at the Santiago de Cuba Cathedral. Like one seeking absolution for a long list of sins, the General President has traveled from the capital to the east of the country, following the papal entourage.

Castro appears to be fulfilling, in this way, the notice he gave in Rome last May. He said then, “If the Pope continues speaking like this I will go back to praying and return to the Church, I’m not joking.” The return to the faith appears to include not only him, but a part of his family that has accompanied him, along with the executive branch of the island and officials from the state press. continue reading

Despite the sudden mystical fervor, national television carefully avoided showing images of the Cuban president when the faithful were reciting the Mass, making the sign of peace, or repeating some prayer when he was present. The cameras only focused on his arrival and departure from temples and plazas.

Some television newscasters who participated in a special ‘magazine’ feature, broadcast during these three days have faced a particular plight. Several faces well-known for their staunch ideological discourse have had to moderate their vocabulary, and are salting their phrases with psalms, biblical allusions and reverence for religious figures.

The pirouettes performed by these presenters and journalists, to avoid words like “revolution,” “communist” or “comrades,” have also been worthy of the political circus they represent. All that was missing in the studio was a crucifix and a Bible, but they weren’t necessary.

The excessive incense of these days is not appreciated by many. “This goes from the sublime to the ridiculous,” a 63-year-old Communist Party militant who lives in my building told me. “From atheism to religious servility,” he added, referring to the attitude of the Cuban authorities and the broadcast of complete Masses in the national media.

Now, all we need is to hear Raul Castro’s next public speech, to see if he also has replaced the bellicose “Homeland or death!” with the more concise, “Amen!”

Dialogue… If They Allow Us / 14ymedio and Somos+, Manuel Mons

Pope Francis meeting with the youth of the Felix Varela Cultural Center and University Students Federation in Havana Sunday. (Manuel Mons / 14ymedio)

14ymedio and Somos+, Manuel Mons, Havana, 22 September 2015 — Several months ago, when the young students of Father Felix Varela Cultural Center learned about the Pope Francis’ visit to Cuba, joy spread among us. Especially when we learned that the Pope’s agenda also included a private meeting with all the students. However, the joy was short lived and the concept we had at that time was completely transformed. continue reading

It became a public event where young students at the Center would have no special deference in comparison with the rest of the guests. But still the excitement of meeting in person the Bishop of Rome and hearing from him, meant that from two in the afternoon on Sunday, hundreds of us gathered near the place on the Malecon, waiting for the permission to come in.

Metal barriers blocked the way and security guards repeated to each question: “Until prior notice, no one can enter.” After a long time outside, the students of the Center got together and decided to contact the rector, Father Yosvany Carvajal. In this way it was made possible that there would ba at least a small advantage for the students of the Center and that we would be the first to go enter in order to be as close as possible to Pope Francis.

We had still long hours ahead under the heat, standing and thirsty, but they were borne with great joy. Bishops from Haiti, Mexico, Spain, United States and Cuba, went up to the podium to thank everyone for their presence, and in addition to introducing themselves, they expressed their best wishes towards the people and the Cuban youth.

An excellent concert by Martin Valverde made the hours pass quickly and also helped to cope with a last-minute rain which delayed the meeting with Pope Francis.

Finally there he was. I confess I expected a happier Pope and a longer and more intense exchange with those present, but the experience of that afternoon filled me with satisfaction. Concepts such as reconciliation, hope and dialogue with the opponent made me feel free, as I had not felt for a very long time. His main message about understanding and talking with those who think differently brought tears to my eyes. Especially because, when Pope Francis uttered that phrase, a chorus resonated out of the crowd saying: “If they allow us.”

State Security Stops Martha Beatriz Roque and Miriam Leiva From Meeting with the Pope / EFE-14ymedio

Martha Beatriz Roque Cabello. (14ymedio)

EFE/14ymedio, Havana. 20 September 2015 — Opposition member Martha Beatriz Roque Cabello reported that on Sunday afternoon State Security stopped her – for the second day in a row – from personally greeting Pope Francis. Their meeting, which was to have taken place in Havana Cathedral, had been agreed upon as a way redressing what happened on Sunday to this former Black Spring prisoner who was detained as she was on her way to the Apostolic Nunciature. continue reading

On Sunday morning, the secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature in Cuba had assured Ms. Roque Cabello that he was surprised by the previous day’s arrest, but that everything was now in order for her to greet the Pope that same day. However, the taxi taking her to Havana’s historic center was intercepted on its way by a car with four State Security agents who did not allow her to reach the place, the activist said.

“If you have something to say to the Pope, tell us, and we’ll tell him,” Roque Cabello said one of the State Security agents told her. The dissident was held for fifteen hours at a police station before being released.

In the case of Miriam Leiva, her detention unfolded under similar circumstances, as she was traveling in a shared taxi. “The car was forcefully intercepted by State Security. They took me to a police station, and there an official warned me that I could not participate in any activity related to the Pope’s visit,” Leiva reported to the EFE news agency.

On the way to Havana Cathedral, where Francis celebrated Sunday vespers with priests, men and women consecrated to religious life, and seminarians, the Papal entourage stopped at the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Saint Ignatius Loyola on Reina Street.* The Pope took a brief tour of the interior of the church, and then continued on his way to the historic center of Havana.

*Translator’s Note: Commonly called “Iglesia de Reina,” “Church of Reina (Queen [Street]),” and consecrated in 1923, it is widely considered one of Cuba’s most beautiful churches, and its tallest, with a fifteen-story bell tower. It is the mother church of the Jesuit Order in Cuba.

El Cobre Prepares to Welcome Pope Francis / 14ymedio

Basilica of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre. (Flickr)

14ymedio, Santiago de Cuba, 18 September 2015 – The place where Cachita* — as we fondly call our patron saint — receives her devotees has seen busy days before the arrival of Pope Francis. In the Basilica of the Virgin of Charity of El Cobre, located in Santiago de Cuba Province, the details for the the Bishop of Rome’s September 22 Mass are ready. At this moment, the eleven miles separating El Cobre from the provincial capital are a constant back and forth of people and vehicles.

During a press conference on September 15, Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba Dionisio García Ibáñez explained that the Papal entourage will be landing at Antonio Maceo International Airport in the afternoon of September 21, and then immediately head for El Cobre. continue reading

On this occasion, repairs to the Basilica of The Virgin of Charity have been primarily focused on the façade, the interior décor, and the garden areas. The building was totally restored in 2012 for the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the island, as well as to commemorate the 400^th anniversary of the discovery of the statue of the Patroness of Cuba.

The very popular Chapel of Miracles, previously full of offerings for the fulfillment of some promise made to the Virgin, was returned to its original function as a sacristy in 2012. The impressive gifts people have left for Cachita were moved to two side chapels that had been previously closed.

According to Catholic Church officials, after arriving in the afternoon in Santiago de Cuba, “he (Francis) will meet with Cuban bishops, and visit the sanctuary.” Once there, the Pope will offer a gift to the Virgin of Charity, and light a candle with the flame of a candle lit by Benedict XVI during his visit to the Basilica.

As did the previous pope, Jorge Mario Bergoglio will spend the night at the priests’ residence hall adjacent to the chapel.

Opened on September 8, 1927, the Basilica now exhibits reconditioned woodwork with the shrine to the Virgin renovated so that the faithful can see it up closer. The surrounding buildings, such as the retreat and fellowship house and the guesthouse are in wonderful shape, although they were built over sixty years ago. However, the power, water and sewer systems have not been modernized.

Francis will offer a Mass at the El Cobre shrine attended by the residents of the small rural communities where there are no churches, according to the Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba. García Ibáñez also said that two children will present the Pope with a copy of the manuscript made by the veterans of the war of independence asking that the Virgin of Charity be made the Patron Saint of Cuba.**

After the conclusion of the Mass in El Cobre, the Pope will go to Santiago de Cuba’s cathedral, where representatives of families from throughout the country will be waiting for him. After blessing the city on its 500^th anniversary, Francis will leave for the airport, thus ending his visit to the island.

Translator’s Notes:
*An affectionate nickname for anyone named “Caridad,” or “Charity,” including Our Lady of Charity herself.
**The petition was made to Pope Benedict XV in 1915, and it was approved the following year.

Translated by José Badué

Pope Francis Visits Fidel Castro in His Havana Home / EFE – 14ymedio

Pope Francis during his meeting with former Cuban president Fidel Castro. (Alex Castro)

EFE, 14ymedio, Havana, 20 September 2105 — According to an announcement made by the Vatican spokesperson Federico Lombardi, Pope Francis met today with former president Fidel Castro at his Havana home.

The meeting took place after the Pontiff celebrated mass in Havana’s Plaza of the Revolution. According to Lombardi, the meeting lasted approximately forty minutes, taking place in a “very family-like and informal” setting.

The Apostolic Nuncio Giorgio Lingua accompanied Francis during his visit with the Cuban leader. Fidel Castro’s wife, children, and grandchildren–approximately ten people in total–were also present. continue reading

Lombardi explained that the Argentine pontiff and Castro discussed “current global problems,” especially those related to the environment.

The Vatican spokesperson said that Fidel Castro took the opportunity to ask Francis about “important issues in today’s world” that concern and interest the former Cuban president.

Apart from their conversation, Francis and Fidel Castro exchanged gifts. Specifically, the Pontiff gave Castro two books by Alessandro Pronzato, an expert in catechism, scripture, and a renowned theologian. One of the books is entitled “Disturbing Gospels,” while the other focuses on the relationship between humor and religion.

The Pope also gave Castro copies of his apostolic exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium,” and his famous encyclical on environmental issues “Laudato si.”

For his part, the former Cuban president presented the Pope with a copy of “Fidel and Religion,” an interview he gave to Brazilian theologian Frei Betto in 1985. The book’s dedication read: “To Pope Francis, on the occasion of his fraternal visit to Cuba. With the admiration and respect of the Cuban people.”

Fidel Castro, 89 years old, who retired from power in 2006 due to illness, also held a private meeting with Benedict XVI when he visited Cuba in 2012. On that occasion, the former president and several of his relatives travelled to the Apostolic Nunciature in order to see the Pontiff.

Translated by José Badué

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