Images: Pope Francis in Cuba
Posted September 22, 2015 1:00 am
SANTIAGO, Cuba (AP) - Pope Francis on Tuesday called on Cubans to rediscover their Catholic heritage and live a "revolution of tenderness," powerful words in a country whose 1959 revolution installed an atheist, communist government that sought to replace the church as the guiding force in people's lives.
Francis spoke at Mass at Cuba's holiest shrine, with President Raul Castro attending. Later in the day, he was scheduled to fly to Washington for the first visit of his life to the United States.
Pope Francis is greeted by Cuba's President Raul Castro as he arrives to celebrate Mass in the Plaza of the Revolution, in Holguin, Cuba, Monday, Sept. 21, 2015. Francis traveled to Cuba's fourth-largest city, Holguin, and celebrated a Mass where Cuban rhythms mixed with church hymns under a scorching tropical sun.
(Tony Gentile/Pool via AP)
Pope Francis reaches to kiss a child as he arrives at the Metropolitan Cathedral to celebrate Mass in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015. Pope Francis on Tuesday called on Cubans to rediscover their Catholic heritage and live a "revolution of tenderness," powerful words in a country whose 1959 revolution installed an atheist, communist government that sought to replace the church as the guiding force in people's lives.
(AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
Cuba's President Raul Castro greets Pope Francis as he arrives at the Plaza of the Revolution to celebrate Mass, in Holguin, Cuba, Monday, Sept. 21, 2015. Holguin's plaza was packed with thousands of people waving flags as Francis traveled in his popemobile through the crowd. Francis is the first pope to visit Holguin, Cuba's third-largest city.
(Tony Gentile/Pool via AP)
School boys wait for Pope Francis on his way to the Hill of the Cross aboard the popemobile, in Holguin, Cuba, Monday, Sept. 21, 2015. Francis is ending his time in Holguin by blessing Cuba's fourth-largest city from the Hill of the Cross, a pilgrimage site overlooking the city.
(AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
Yulieisis Medreno, 24, smiles after checking the picture she took of Pope Francis on his way to the Hill of the Cross in Holguin, Cuba, Monday, Sept. 21, 2015. Francis is ending his time in Holguin by blessing Cuba's fourth-largest city from the Hill of the Cross, a pilgrimage site overlooking the city.
(AP Photo/Enric Marti)
Residents wait for Pope Francis aboard his popemobile on the way to the Hill of the Cross in Holguin, Cuba, Monday, Sept. 21, 2015. Francis is ending his time in Holguin by blessing Cuba's fourth-largest city from the Hill of the Cross, a pilgrimage site overlooking the city.
(AP Photo/Enric Marti)
Pope Francis greets people from his popemobile on his way to the Hill of the Cross in Holguin, Cuba, Monday Sept. 21, 2015. Francis ended his time in Holguin by blessing Cuba's fourth-largest city from the Hill of the Cross, a pilgrimage site overlooking the city.
(AP Photo/Enric Marti)
Thousands greet Pope Francis as he arrives to celebrate Mass at the Plaza of the Revolution in Holguin, Cuba, Monday, Sept. 21, 2015. Holguin's plaza was packed with people waving flags as Francis traveled in his popemobile through the crowd. Francis is the first pope to visit Holguin, Cuba's third-largest city.
(Ismael Francisco/Cubadebate Via AP)
People arrive at the Plaza of the Revolution to attend a Mass to be celebrated by Pope Francis in Holguin, Cuba, Monday, Sept. 21, 2015. Francis is the first pope to visit Holguin, Cuba's third-largest city.
(AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
Pope Francis circles the altar with incense during a Mass in the Plaza of the Revolution, in Holguin, Cuba, Monday, Sept. 21, 2015. Speaking in his homily Francis called on Cubans to heed Jesus Christ's invitation to overcome resistance to change. Francis is the first pope to visit Holguin, Cuba's third-largest city.
(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Pope Francis, right, and bishop Emilio Aranguren Echeverria, of Holguin, look out from the pilgrimage site Hill of the Cross, in Holguin, Cuba, Monday, Sept. 21, 2015. Francis ended his time in Holguin by blessing Cuba's fourth-largest city from the Hill of the Cross. His next stop will be the southeastern city of Santiago.
(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Pope Francis leads Mass in the sanctuary of the Virgin of Charity, or Our Lady of El Cobre, in El Cobre, Cuba, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015. On Tuesday, Pope Francis wraps up his visit to Cuba, where around 10 percent regularly attend Mass and many more believe in religious icons like the Virgin of Charity of Cobre, whose sanctuary is important to both observant Catholics and followers of Afro-Cuban Santeria traditions.
(Tony Gentile/Pool via AP)
Pope Francis leads Mass in the sanctuary of the Virgin of Charity in El Cobre, Cuba, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015. Pope Francis on Tuesday called on Cubans to rediscover their Catholic heritage and live a "revolution of tenderness," powerful words in a country whose 1959 revolution installed an atheist, communist government that sought to replace the church as the guiding force in people's lives.
(Tony Gentile/Pool via AP)
Pope Francis celebrates a Mass at the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Charity of El Cobre, in El Cobre, Cuba, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015. The pontiff's homily in the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Charity of El Cobre was the latest in a series of carefully worded critiques of the Cuban system during his four-day trip.
(L'Osservatore Romano/Pool Photo via AP)
Security surrounds Pope Francis' popemobile as he greets residents as he makes his way to the Metropolitan Cathedral to celebrate Mass in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015. Pope Francis on Tuesday called on Cubans to rediscover their Catholic heritage and live a "revolution of tenderness," powerful words in a country whose 1959 revolution installed an atheist, communist government that sought to replace the church as the guiding force in people's lives.
(AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
In this photo taken on Monday, Sept. 21, 2015, Pope Francis celebrates a Mass in the Plaza of the Revolution, in Holguin, Cuba, Monday, Sept. 21, 2015. Speaking in his homily Francis called on Cubans to heed Jesus Christ's invitation to overcome resistance to change. (L'Osservatore Romano/Pool Photo via AP)
Rosana sits outside her home, decorated with a picture of Pope Francis in the village of Barajagua, some 40 km. east of Santiago, Cuba, Monday, Sept. 21, 2015. Francis flew to Santiago for an evening visit to the shrine of Cuba's patron saint, and on Tuesday he will arrive in Washington for the U.S. leg of his visit to the two former Cold War enemies.
(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Pope Francis places a bouquet of flowers before the statue of the Virgin of Charity of Cobre, in El Cobre, Cuba, Monday, Sept. 21, 2015. Francis arrived in the sanctuary shortly after landing in the nearby eastern city of Santiago, his final stop in Cuba before heading to the U.S. on Tuesday. The pontiff brought a bouquet of flowers that he placed before the foot-tall wooden statue of the Virgin prayed for a few minutes.
(Tony Gentile/Pool via AP)
In this photo taken on Monday, Sept. 21, 2015, Pope Francis blesses Holguin, Cuba's fourth-largest city, from the Hill of the Cross,. Francis is ending his time in Holguin by blessing it from the Hill of the Cross, a pilgrimage site overlooking the city.
(L'Osservatore Romano/Pool Photo via AP)
In this photo taken on Monday, Sept. 21, 2015, children greet Pope Francis with flowers upon his arrival at Santiago de Cuba's airport, Cuba. Pope Francis began a 10-day trip to Cuba and the United States on Saturday, embarking on his first trip to the onetime Cold War foes after helping to nudge forward their historic rapprochement.
(L'Osservatore Romano/Pool Photo via AP)
Pope Francis kisses a child after receiving a gift from a group of children in the sanctuary of the Virgin of Charity of Cobre, in El Cobre, Cuba, Monday, Sept. 21, 2015. Francis arrived in the sanctuary shortly after landing in the nearby eastern city of Santiago, his final stop in Cuba before heading to the U.S. on Tuesday. The pontiff brought a bouquet of flowers that he placed before the foot-tall wooden statue of the Virgin prayed for a few minutes.
(Tony Gentile/Pool via AP)
In this photo taken on Monday, Sept. 21, 2015, Pope Francis lights a candle during his visit at the sanctuary of the Virgin of Charity of Cobre, in El Cobre, Cuba. Francis arrived in the sanctuary shortly after landing in the nearby eastern city of Santiago, his final stop in Cuba before heading to the U.S. (
L'Osservatore Romano/Pool Photo via AP)
In this photo taken on Monday, Sept. 21, 2015, Pope Francis blesses Holguin, Cuba's fourth-largest city, from the Hill of the Cross. Francis is ending his time in Holguin by blessing it from the Hill of the Cross, a pilgrimage site overlooking the city.
(L'Osservatore Romano/Pool Photo via AP)
A replica of the statue of the Virgin of Charity, of Our Lady of El Cobre, stands at the entrance of a church being rebuilt in the village of Barajagua, near Santiago, Cuba, Monday, Sept. 21, 2015. On Tuesday, Pope Francis wraps up his visit to Cuba, where around 10 percent regularly attend Mass and many more believe in religious icons like the Virgin of Charity of Cobre, whose sanctuary is important to both observant Catholics and followers of Afro-Cuban Santeria traditions.
(AP Photo/Enric Marti)
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