Monday, September 21, 2015

A visit with the Virgin of Charity at El Cobre

In the afternoon hours, after blessing the city of Holguín from Loma de la Cruz, the Holy Father travelled by car to the Frank País international airport and left aboard a flight for Santiago.


Upon his arrival at the Antonio Maceo international airport in Santiago de Cuba, Pope Francis greeted a group of children and the faithful, and then travelled to the Seminary of Saint Basil the Great where he met privately with the bishops of Cuba.


In the evening hours, following his meeting with the bishops of Cuba at the Seminary of Saint Basil the Great, Pope Francis went, along with the bishops and the members of the papal party to the National Shrine of the Virgin of Charity at El Cobre.  The Virgin of Charity is the patron saint of Cuba.

Having arrived at the Minor Basilica, the Holy Father, accompanied by the Archbishop of Santiago, His Excellency, Dionisio Guillermo García Ibáñez, was welcomed by the Rector of the Shrine.

Standing in front of the statue of the Virgen de la Caridad, the Pope recited a prayer to the virgin, together with the Cuban bishops, and then left a silver vase filled with flowers as a gift for Our Lady.

At the conclusion of his visit, the Pope and the Cuban bishops re-entered the Seminary of Saint Basil the Great.

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