HAVANA — The Catholic Bishops Conference of Cuba says Pope Francis will visit the cities of Havana, Holguin and Santiago, as well as the sanctuary of the Virgin of Charity of Cobre, during his Sept. 19-22 stopover on the island ahead of his trip to the United States.
The details of Francis’ trip were released a day after Cuban President Raul Castro visited the pontiff in the Vatican on Sunday.
Castro, the head of the officially atheist Cuban Communist Party, thanked Francis for his mediation of secret talks on detente between the U.S. and Cuba, and lightheartedly said that he was so impressed by Francis that he was considering returning to the church.
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Francis will be the third pope to visit Cuba.