Pope Benedict XVI has paid homage to the patron saint of Cuba, telling an audience that he has prayed for the needs of those who suffer and who are deprived of freedom.
The pope visited the shrine holding the Virgin of Charity of El Cobre on Tuesday to mark the 400th anniversary of its discovery by a trio of fishermen. The doll-sized wooden statue is revered in Cuba and within the Roman Catholic Church.
The pontiff said he also prayed for those who are separated from their loved ones or who are undergoing times of difficulty.
Later Tuesday, Pope Benedict was meeting in Havana with Cuban President Raul Castro and possibly Fidel Castro, the long-time Cuban leader and elder brother of Raul. It is not clear whether he will meet with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who is in Cuba undergoing another round of radiation treatment for cancer.
He is not expected to meet with Cuban dissidents, including the Ladies in White, a group of wives and mothers of the 75 dissidents who were jailed in a 2003 crackdown on government opponents.
The Archbishop of Santiago, Reverend Dionisio Garcia Ibanez, says the pope's time is limited when he travels.
"Many people came to give us lots of requests, lots, you can't imagine how many. One said: 'I'm having problems with my home, and I believe the Holy Father can help me.' Others have participated in this call from the Ladies in White. We have channeled these requests," said Ibanez.
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A group that monitors detentions on the island says 70 government opponents were arrested in the four days leading up to the pontiff's visit.
Upon his arrival Monday in Santiago, Pope Benedict was greeted by Raul Castro and a delegation of church leaders, then held an outdoor Mass for a large enthusiastic crowd. He appealed to Cubans to "reinvigorate your faith" and build a new society that is "more worthy of humanity."
He spent the night in a specially-built guest house near the shrine holding the iconic Virgin of Charity.
Pope Benedict's Cuban visit comes 14 years after his predecessor, John Paul II, made the first papal visit to the communist-run island. Since that time, the Roman Catholic Church has grown to become the most influential institution next to the government. Cuba was officially an atheist state from 1959 until a constitutional change in 1992 abolished atheism as the state creed and called for separation of church and state. At that time, the Communist Party also lifted its ban on members with religious beliefs.
Cuba is the last stop on the pontiff's five-day Latin American trip that began last week in Mexico. He is scheduled to hold an outdoor Mass Wednesday in Havana's Revolution Plaza.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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